Six men from Broward and Palm Beach counties pleaded guilty in Fort Lauderdale federal court Wednesday to charges that they took part in a wide-ranging criminal racket run by the Bonanno organized-crime family.

The men were accused of taking part in a variety of crimes -- including identity theft, drug trafficking, arson, and Medicare fraud -- to benefit the Mafia. All six pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the federal racketeering statute.

Among those pleading guilty was Pasquale ``Patsy'' Rubbo, 43, of Parkland, described in the indictment as an ``enforcer'' for the local mob crew. Prosecutors said he led a scheme to profit from bogus checks, and illegally bought prescription painkillers from area pain-management clinics and then sold the drugs on the black market.

``When I came out of prison, I was connected to the mob,'' Rubbo told U.S. District Judge William Zloch. ``I went right back into the life, they call it.''

Rubbo had previously served time for running a boiler-room fraud scheme for the Mafia.

Also pleading guilty Wednesday were Joseph Rubbo of Coral Springs; Lee Klein of Boynton Beach; Daniel S. Young of Delray Beach; Frank D'Amato of West Palm Beach and Billie Robertson of Boynton Beach. All are scheduled to be sentenced in January.

The alleged leader of the crew, Thomas Fiore of Boynton Beach, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial, along with four other alleged co-conspirators.