A high-ranking member of the Luchese crime family and several associates from Westchester have pleaded guilty to racketeering, money laundering, and illegal gambling as part of a sweeping federal case targeting organized crime, officials announced.

Anthony Villani, a 60-year-old Elmsford resident and a soldier in the Luchese crime family, entered his guilty plea on Thursday, Jan. 30 in federal court in Brooklyn. As part of his plea deal, he will forfeit $4 million in illicit proceeds, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Villani was one of five defendants who admitted to running an illegal gambling business known as “Rhino Sports,” which operated for over 20 years and generated millions of dollars in profits annually across New York City and the surrounding area. Federal prosecutors say the operation was protected by La Cosa Nostra and took bets from between 400 and 1,300 customers per week, primarily in the New York metro area.

The Westchester ties to the operation run deep, with Dennis Filizzola, age 61, of Cortlandt Manor, and Louis Tucci Jr., age 61, of Tuckahoe, also pleading guilty to their roles in the scheme.

Filizzola, who managed finances for the gambling ring, admitted to money laundering and illegal sports betting and faces up to 20 years in prison. Tucci pleaded guilty to illegal gambling and faces up to five years behind bars.

Federal investigators say Villani hid illicit proceeds by funneling cash through fraudulent rental payments for his real estate properties. He also employed bookmakers with ties to the Luchese and other crime families to help collect winnings.

Villani and his co-defendants were taken down by an investigation led by the FBI’s Westchester Organized Crime Task Force, which continues to pursue additional suspects, including one defendant still at large.

“These guilty pleas represent a victory for the rule of law over the pernicious activities of organized crime that undermine the safety of our communities,” said US Attorney John Durham, who continued, “Illegal gambling businesses require enforcement and protection from mob rivals that carry the persistent threat of violence. However, the defendants’ luck ran out and, thanks to the hard work of the team of prosecutors and investigators, they will be held accountable for their crimes and pay their debt to society.”

Villani faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year. His co-defendants also await sentencing, with financial forfeitures totaling over $5 million.