The Bronx judge accused of borrowing a half million dollars to pay off loan sharks could face removal from the bench if the allegations are true, a legal expert said.

A law-school classmate of Supreme Court Justice George Villegas filed a lawsuit against the jurist, saying he put the arm on her for 18 years, begging for money to fund illicit gambling and to keep loan sharks from breaking his legs.

Monroe Freedman, the former dean of Hofstra Law School and a noted expert in legal ethics, said a judge in deep with bookies should be worried.

“If a judge has that serious a gambling habit, it could get him in trouble,” Freedman said. “If a judge is involved with organized crime, I would be very concerned.

“It may be reason to remove him from the bench.”