NJ Council President Arrested On Racketeering, Gambling Charges

PROSPECT PARK, NJ — The Prospect Park Borough council president was arrested Wednesday on charges of money laundering, conspiracy, and racketeering, court records show.

Anand Shah, 42, faces seven criminal charges, also including two fourth-degree counts of promoting gambling, third-degree possession of gambling records, and fourth-degree maintenance of a gambling resort. The racketeering and money laundering charges are both first-degree offenses.

The Democrat was first elected in 2016, and is also up for re-election this year.

A New Jersey State Police detective signed the criminal complaint against him, records show. The exact details of the allegations are not yet clear.

Shah was being held in the Morris County Jail on Wednesday night, according to court records.

In a statement, Borough Mayor Mohamed Khairullah acknowledged the arrest and said it was "unrelated to (Shah's) duties in municipal government."

"While we do not yet know the full scope or outcome of the legal process ahead, I want to reaffirm that this administration holds all public officials to the highest standards of ethics and accountability," he said Wednesday afternoon.

Khairullah, also a Democrat, asked the public to let the legal process play out "without speculation" and to respect the privacy of those not involved in the case.

"This is undoubtedly a difficult time for Councilman Shah’s family and those close to him," the mayor said.

Patch has reached out to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General for comment.

This story will be updated with any further developments.