Gangsters guilty in Seagal case

Seven people suspected of quietly taking over New York's Gambino crime family from the late John Gotti have been convicted on racketeering and other charges in a trial that drew widespread attention because of the testimony of the Hollywood action-film actor Steven Seagal.

Those found guilty included two of Gotti's brothers and a nephew. All seven were found guilty of organised crime on the New York waterfront, including gambling, loansharking and extortion. Seagal, a reluctant witness who said he feared for his life by taking the stand, testified against Sonny Ciccone, who he said had attempted to extort $3m (£1.9m) from him as part of the Gambino family's efforts to muscle in on the film industry. Ciccone was found guilty.

The principal defendant, 63-year-old Peter Gotti, protested his innocence even as he was led away by federal marshals after the verdict. "What are you gonna do?" he said. "It's easy to convict a Gotti. All you have to have is the name." The trial lasted six weeks and the jury was out for six days. The defendants face prison terms of up to 20 years.

Prosecutors say they have broken the Mob's grip on the waterfront and their infiltration of the dockers' union. "Their reign is over," Kevin McGowan, of the US Waterfront Commission, said.