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Fourteen individuals are facing charges in connection with an alleged multi-million dollar illegal sports betting operation that New Jersey authorities say involved college athletes and ties to organized crime. The announcement came Thursday from state officials.
According to authorities, Joseph “Little Joe” Perna, identified as a member of the Lucchese crime family, and his associates are accused of running a nationwide network of bookmakers. This network allegedly utilized offshore websites to process an estimated $2 million in bets between 2022 and 2024.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin stated that several college athletes were operating sportsbooks under the direction of Perna’s organization. However, Platkin did not disclose the specific colleges or sports implicated in the alleged betting ring. The NCAA has acknowledged awareness of the charges and is reportedly investigating the case.
Perna, 55, of Fairfield, New Jersey, faces charges alongside his sons, stepson, nephews, and others. The charges include racketeering, conspiracy, various gambling offenses, and money laundering.
Authorities allege that Perna acted as the “financier” of the operation, with his son, Joseph R. Perna, managing daily operations and overseeing numerous subordinate agents.
Among these subagents are Perna’s brother, Anthony Perna, his stepbrother, Frank Zito, and cousins Dominic Perna and Michael Cetta. Additionally, six other men are accused of serving as high-level agents who managed their own sportsbooks as part of the alleged scheme. Spencer Speziale, one of the co-defendants, is a newly certified NBPA agent, though he currently has no clients listed in the players association’s directory.
All 14 individuals charged are scheduled for initial court appearances on Thursday, with subsequent detention hearings to be determined, as confirmed by Theresa Hilton, director of New Jersey’s Division of Criminal Justice.