Posted on: June 25, 2026, 08:20h.
Last updated on: June 25, 2026, 08:21h.
- George Zappola, Joseph “Big Joe” Perna and John Perna admitted racketeering charges tied to an alleged Lucchese-run gambling enterprise.
- Prosecutors said the organization operated poker clubs, offshore sportsbooks and laundered nearly $4.8 million through legitimate New Jersey businesses.
- Zappola, a reputed Lucchese ruling panel member, and the Pernas each face recommended seven-year prison terms under their plea agreement
George “Georgie Neck” Zappola, reputedly one of the Lucchese crime family‘s most senior figures, was among eight men who pleaded guilty in New Jersey Superior Court to charges including racketeering, illegal gambling and money laundering for their alleged roles in a multimillion-dollar poker and sports betting ring.
The men were among 42 individuals arrested in April 2025 following a two-year investigation into the operation, 35 of whom have now entered guilty pleas.
New Jersey prosecutors alleged in April 2025 that Zappola was a member of the family’s ruling panel, a small group that helps oversee the organization’s operations.
Also pleading guilty were Joseph “Big Joe” Perna, an alleged Lucchese capo, and his cousin, reputed Lucchese soldier John Perna.
‘High-Level Managers’
The trio were described by prosecutors as “high-level managers” in the gambling enterprise, representing the family’s New Jersey faction, which received a share of the criminal proceeds.
Beneath them were poker club managers and hosts who recruited players, supplied food and drinks, and bankrolled games.
On the sportsbook side, agents managed groups of bettors (“packages”) through offshore betting sites, with sub-agents beneath them, while a percentage of profits flowed back up the chain.
Prosecutors alleged the enterprise laundered gambling proceeds through three New Jersey businesses: Frasso Trucking Inc., Café Gio Inc., and CJW Development & Consulting LLC.
According to the indictment, these companies helped conceal nearly $4.8 million in alleged criminal revenue by mixing it with legitimate business income and moving funds through corporate accounts.
Murder Convictions
Zappola has a long history of organized crime convictions dating back decades. A close ally of former Lucchese underboss Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso, he pleaded guilty in 1996 to multiple murders, including the 1990 killing of labor official James Bishop, and was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. He was released in 2014
John Perna previously served prison terms for his role in Operation Heat, a multibillion-dollar illegal gambling enterprise, and for carrying out the 2015 assault on the husband of former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo in exchange for a discounted wedding reception.
Under their plea agreements, Zappola and the Pernas each face a recommended sentence of seven years in state prison. A date for sentencing is yet to be scheduled.
