Published on: November 15, 2025, at 11:46 AM.
Updated on: November 15, 2025, at 11:47 AM.
- New Jersey prosecutes pay-per-head betting operation linked to the Lucchese crime family
- Student athletes reportedly served as betting agents in this gambling network
- The Perna family faces allegations of running a multimillion-dollar illegal sportsbook
An alleged member of the Lucchese crime family was among 14 individuals detained Thursday for their involvement in a pay-per-head illegal gambling scheme that reportedly enlisted student athletes as betting agents.
Joseph M. “Little Joe” Perna, aged 55, faces charges of racketeering, conspiracy, illegal gambling, and money laundering tied to a scheme that reportedly processed $2 million in bets from 2022 to 2024, according to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
Perna is believed to be at the center of this operation, funding the scheme that “depended on Gen Z bettors and a network of sub-agents drawn from Perna’s son’s circle of high school and college friends,” the statement revealed.
Joseph R. Perna Jr. was indicted alongside his father and is accused of managing daily sportsbook operations.
Another of Perna’s sons, Anthony R. Perna, 23, was also charged, along with his stepson, Frank Zito, 23, and nephews, Dominic Perna, 23, and Michael Cetta, 23.
Understanding Pay Per Head Betting
A pay-per-head sports betting model is an illicit bookmaking structure where a central bookmaker pays a fee to an offshore platform for every active bettor, or “head,” they oversee.
The offshore platform supplies the essential software, betting lines, and account management, while local “agents” or “sub-agents” are responsible for recruiting bettors, managing cash transactions, settling debts, and passing along profits up the hierarchy.
Since the bets are placed through offshore servers, but all financial transactions occur in person, PPH models enable illegal bookmakers to operate advanced online sportsbooks while avoiding detection from regulators.
Operation Heat: A Previous Conviction
This isn’t Little Joe’s first encounter with the law. He has a history of criminal activity, including a federal conviction in 2005 for illegal gambling and a 2016 New Jersey state conviction for first-degree racketeering linked to a Lucchese-affiliated sports betting venture, resulting in a ten-year prison sentence.
The 2016 charges were part of Operation Heat, which implicated the crew in running an illegal gambling operation that accrued an estimated $2.2 billion over 15 months, while also smuggling drugs and prepaid mobile phones into a New Jersey correctional facility.
Perna is the son of Ralph V. Perna, a former capo of the Lucchese family’s New Jersey faction, who has also faced charges during this investigation. Ralph accepted a plea deal in 2015, ultimately being sentenced to eight years in state prison.
“This operation truly exemplifies a family business,” remarked Matthew Platkin, Attorney General of New Jersey, in his statement.
“Despite the growing prevalence of legalized betting, illegal gambling continues to thrive among members and affiliates of organized crime. Although the locations and tactics may have changed, illegal gambling—especially sports betting—remains a significant concern, and we will take action against those who seek illegal profits,” Platkin added.