MAFIA STILL ALIVE: Alleged Members Of The Lucchese Crime Family Arrested In Multimillion Sports Betting Ring

The Mafia never died but just now moves more silently.

A multimillion illegal sports betting ring headed by an alleged member of the Italian Mafia was broken up by New Jersey authorities.

The leader of the ring Joseph “Little Joe” Perna who is a member of the Lucchese crime family was arrested on racketeering and gambling offenses.

CBS News reported more on the Mafia’s ties to the illegal betting ring:

An illegal sports betting ring allegedly headed up by a mafia member has been broken up in New Jersey, officials said.

Authorities on Thursday announced charges against 14 people in connection with the multimillion dollar ring after a nearly two-year investigation.

Authorities say it was headed up by Joseph “Little Joe” Perna, a soldier in the Lucchese crime family. Perna, 55, is charged with racketeering, conspiracy, gambling offenses and money laundering. He was charged along with his son, stepsons, nephews, wife, and ex-wife.

“This was truly a family affair,” Attorney General Matthew Platkin said.

Authorities said the group ran multiple electronic sports books across the Garden State.

Despite sports betting being legal in New Jersey, organized crime members cling to doing it illegally, authorities said.

“Organized crime families seem to have a hard time breaking this old habit. So we’re going to break it for them,” Platkin said. “Today, despite the wide availability of legal sports betting, illegal gambling remains among members and associates of organized crime.”

Perna allegedly illegally used offshore gambling websites as part of the operation. He allegedly operated as the financier, or bank, for the $2 million enterprise. His son oversaw the daily operations of the sports book, authorities said.

“This operation also included a number of college athletes, who operated sports books at the direction of the Perna enterprise. And I’ll note that this operation relied on Gen Z gamblers and a network of sub-agents recruited from among Perna’s son’s high school and college friends. They effectively recruited younger gamblers or players they knew would be able to pay up, or those they could leverage payment from, namely college students and student athletes. This was a lucrative operation,” Platkin said.

#BREAKING: New Jersey charges 14 in Lucchese Crime Family's illegal sports betting ring with college athletes that handled $2M in wagers from 2022 to 2024

College athletes, such as former Rutgers wrestlers Nicholas Raimo & Michael J. Cetta, acted as bookmakers pic.twitter.com/17xZWxOFV3

— Lit News Network (@litnewsnet) November 14, 2025

New Jersey reported two former Rutgers athletes were arrested in connection to the illegal betting ring:

Two former Rutgers wrestlers were among the 14 people who were arrested and charged with crimes “in connection with a multi-million dollar illegal sports betting ring that operated multiple electronic sportsbooks across New Jersey,” state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced in a press conference in Newark on Thursday afternoon.

Michael Cetta, 23, and Nicholas Raimo, 25, were charged with racketeering (1st degree), conspiracy (2nd degree), promoting gambling by bookmaking (3rd degree), possession of gambling records (3rd degree) and money laundering by promoting (1st degree).

If convicted of the most serious charges (racketeering and money laundering), Cetta and Raimo each face a maximum of 40 years in state prison.

Marco A. Laracca, Cetta’s attorney, declined to comment when reached by NJ Advance Media.

Platkin said that Cetta and Raimo were among “a number of college athletes” who “operated sportsbooks at the direction of the Perna enterprise,” which is part of the Lucchese crime family. The operation “relied on Gen Z gamblers and a network of subagents recruited among Perna’s son’s high school and college friends,” Platkin said.

In recent months Trump’s DOJ has been cracking down on illegal gambling/betting rings.

HOLEE SHIZZLES BATMAN‼️

🚨 FBI Busts NBA Stars and Mafia Heads with Ties in Multi-Million Dollar Gambling Scandal!

– Bonanno crime family
– Gambino crime family
– Genovese crime family
– Lucchese crime family

More than 30 people were arrested in the case — including… pic.twitter.com/xWR3dGmkXG

— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) October 23, 2025