Posted on: June 25, 2026, 08:20h.
Last updated on: June 25, 2026, 08:21h.
- George Zappola, Joseph “Big Joe” Perna, and John Perna pleaded guilty to racketeering charges linked to an alleged gambling operation run by the Lucchese family.
- Prosecutors asserted that this organization managed poker clubs, offshore sports betting operations, and laundered approximately $4.8 million through legitimate New Jersey businesses.
- According to their plea agreements, Zappola, a reputed member of the Lucchese ruling panel, along with the Pernas, is facing a recommended prison sentence of seven years.
George “Georgie Neck” Zappola, believed to be one of the top figures in the Lucchese crime family, was among eight individuals who entered guilty pleas in New Jersey Superior Court regarding charges that include racketeering, illegal gambling, and money laundering associated with a high-stakes poker and sports betting ring.
The group was part of a larger operation that saw 42 people arrested in April 2025, following a comprehensive two-year investigation, with 35 individuals having pleaded guilty so far.
New Jersey prosecutors alleged in April 2025 that Zappola was involved with the family’s ruling panel, a select group overseeing the operations of the organization.
Among those who also pleaded guilty were Joseph “Big Joe” Perna, an alleged Lucchese capo, and his cousin, reputed Lucchese soldier John Perna.
Leadership in the Enterprise
Prosecutors characterized this trio as “high-level managers” within the gambling operation, serving as representatives for the family’s New Jersey faction, which profited from criminal activities.
Subordinate positions included poker club managers and hosts tasked with recruiting players, providing refreshments, and funding the games.
On the sports betting front, agents coordinated groups of bettors, known as “packages,” via offshore betting platforms, with sub-agents underneath them, ensuring a percentage of profits was distributed throughout the hierarchy.
Prosecutors claimed the organization laundered illicit gambling revenue through three New Jersey businesses: Frasso Trucking Inc., Café Gio Inc., and CJW Development & Consulting LLC.
It is alleged that these companies helped obscure nearly $4.8 million in suspected criminal earnings by blending it with legitimate business income and navigating funds through corporate accounts.
Criminal Background
With a lengthy history of organized crime convictions, Zappola has been involved for decades. A close associate of former Lucchese underboss Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso, Zappola pled guilty in 1996 for multiple murders, including the 1990 homicide of labor official James Bishop, receiving a sentence of 22 years in federal prison before his release in 2014.
John Perna has also served previous prison sentences for his involvement in Operation Heat, a massive illegal gambling enterprise, and for perpetrating the 2015 assault on the spouse of former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo, in exchange for reduced wedding reception fees.
Following their pleas, Zappola and the Pernas are each facing a proposed seven-year sentence in state prison, with a sentencing date pending.