Morris Co. Man Among 14 Busted In Mob-Tied Gambling Ring, Officials Say

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Morris County man has been arrested for his involvement in a gambling ring with ties to organized crime, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

Nicholas Raimo, 25, of East Hanover, is among 14 people charged in an illegal sports betting ring, officials said.

Organizing the gambling ring was Joseph M. “Little Joe” Perna, 55, of Fairfield, authorities said. Officials believe Perna is a soldier in the Lucchese crime family.

Charged alongside Raimo and Perna are Perna’s nephews, sons, stepson, wife, and ex-wife, among other affiliates, police said.

An investigation by the Port Investigations Unit of the NJSP Port Security Section launched in January 2024 found that an illegal sports betting enterprise was operating out of Essex and Bergen counties.

Investigators said that between 2022 and 2024, Perna’s enterprise transferred around $2 million in suspected gambling funds.

Raimo acted as a “high-level agent” of the gambling ring, managing his own sportsbooks within the Perna enterprise, according to officials.

He is charged with racketeering, conspiracy, promoting gambling by bookmaking, possession of gambling records (electronic), and money laundering by promoting.

If convicted of all charges, Raimo faces a maximum of 60 years in prison and more than $800,000 in fines.

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