US mobsters plead guilty to racketeering

MEMBERS of the US Lucchese crime family are facing jail time after an investigation into a lucrative international gambling operation.

SIX members of the Lucchese crime family, including a top New Jersey capo and a ruling boss in New York, have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a US investigation of an multi-billion dollar gambling racket.

THE men were charged in 2007 over the international gambling operation that allegedly handled more than $US2 billion ($A2.56 billion) in wagers over a 15-month period, mainly on sporting events.