8 Lucchese Crime Family Members, Associates In NJ Plead Guilty To Gambling, More: AG

NORTH JERSEY — Eight Lucchese Crime Family members and associates in New Jersey pleaded guilty to various crimes including racketeering and illegal gambling this week, state officials said Tuesday.

The eight were among 42 people who have been indicted since April 2025 following a two-year investigation into gambling, loansharking, extortion, and money laundering, said a spokesperson for New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport.

The defendants pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Ralph E. Amirata in Morris County on Tuesday, acknowledging roles in operating illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese crime family, officials said.

Three companies in New Jersey were also implicated in the schemes, including a trucking company in Essex County and a Bergen County-based corporation.

“Organized crime has no place in New Jersey. For decades, the Attorney General’s Office has been a leader in rooting out organized crime in New Jersey," said state Division of Criminal Justice Director Theresa Hilton. "The pleas in this case mark significant progress."

'Used Threats To Collect Debts'

"The online sportsbook was operated by 'agents' — who, before the advent of computerized betting, would have been known as 'bookies' — who created accounts on sports gambling websites based in foreign countries," officials noted. "The high-level management made operational decisions, settled disputes, and used threats to collect overdue debts."

The leadership of the New Jersey-based faction of the Lucchese family allegedly oversaw the gambling activities and received a portion of the criminal proceeds, prosecutors said. The investigation resulted in the identification of $4.79 million in suspected illegal proceeds.

The guilty pleas included the following, according to state prosecutors:

• George Zappola, Joseph R. Perna, and John G. Perna, considered "high-level managers of the criminal enterprise," pleaded guilty to second-degree racketeering in exchange for recommended sentences of seven years in state prison.
• Wayne D. Cross, a Lucchese associate, pleaded guilty to third-degree promoting gambling in exchange for a recommended sentence of five years in state prison.
• Michael P. Frasso, 48, of Cedar Grove was a sportsbook agent and pleaded guilty to second-degree racketeering (seven years recommended), third-degree failure to pay income tax (three years recommended), and third-degree corporate misconduct (five years recommended), for an aggregate recommendation of 15 years.
• Frank Imparato, 46, of Saddle Brook was a poker club manager who pleaded guilty to third-degree conspiracy (four years recommended).
• Joseph Gossweiler, 41, of Florham Park was a sportsbook sub-agent/poker club manager and pleaded guilty to third-degree conspiracy to promote gambling in the third degree (364 days probation recommended)
• Peter Norcia, 50, of Toms River was an agent for the sportsbooks and pleaded guilty to third-degree conspiracy to promote gambling (four years recommended).
• Café Gio was a Bergen County corporation used by Frank Imparato to facilitate illegal gambling.
• Frasso Trucking was an Essex County-based corporation used by Michael and Gerard Frasso to conceal gambling proceeds.
• CJW Development and Consulting was a corporation used by Wayne Cross to conceal gambling proceeds.

Charges are still pending against seven remaining defendants, the Attorney General's Office said.

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