Prospect Park officials demand councilman resign after gambling arrest linked to mob
PROSPECT PARK — Municipal leaders are calling on the Borough Council president to immediately resign after he was charged last week for his role in mob-tied gambling ring.
Anand Shah, 42, in his third term on the all-Democrat council, was arrested and charged with money laundering, racketeering and a slew of gambling-related offenses for his alleged part in a complex operation involving more than three dozen co-conspirators, including members of the Lucchese crime family, authorities said.
Meanwhile, he is up for reelection.
Municipal government: Clifton poised to hire temporary city manager
Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, once a close personal confidant, released a statement Monday asking that Shah reconsider his bid for another term and step down.
The statement was made on behalf of multiple 'elected officials,' the mayor said, although it did not list them by name.
'This moment calls for leadership that prioritizes the needs of the people, above all else,' Khairullah wrote on Facebook. 'Stepping down is not an act of abandonment — it's a recognition that the continued focus must remain on serving Prospect Park without disruption. We believe this decision is in the best interests of our community and upholds the values that we're entrusted to represent.'
Shah, a native of Clifton and a Subway franchisee, did not return a call placed to his cell phone.
Results of a two-year investigation were announced Friday by state Attorney General Matthew Platkin, who said his office was 'bringing every resource available to crack down on violent criminals' — including those in organized crime.
Authorities allege that Shah managed an online sportsbook and poker games for the criminal enterprise, whose proceeds exceeded $3 million. Upper management of the gambling ring used functioning businesses and shell corporations to conceal their illicit gains, investigators said.
Shah, the chairman of the council committee on economic development and finance, is unopposed in the primary election on June 10. An elections official said Tuesday that it was too late for his name to be removed from the ballot.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news in your community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Prospect Park NJ councilman asked to resign after gambling arrest
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