Joe Nistico was pretty close to Thomas "Sonny" Ciancutti, a Capo in the LaRocca Family. Sonny took over the New Kensington, PA rackets when LaRocca's longtime underboss, Gabriel "Kelly" Mannarino passed away in 1980. Scarfo Sr. and Mannarino were very friendly through Russell Bufalino, who was extremely close to Mannarino and a partner of his in the Sans Souci Hotel & Casino in Havana, Cuba.