I'm well aware of the Risha name. I am from Youngstown originally, born and raised, as my great Uncle, Domenico "Big Dom" Mallamo, who was in charge of the rackets in Youngstown for Pittsburgh for over 40 years, until he went into semi-retirement by 1981 and passed away in 1987 as his nephew, Vincenzo "Brier Hill Jimmy" Prato took over in 1982. My Uncle was close to Big John LaRocca, Kelly & Sammy Mannarino, Mike Genovese, Joseph "Little Joe" Regino, Joe Sica, Louis Volpe, Antonio Ripepi, Sonny Amato and he actually baptized and was Godfather to John Bazzano Jr.

Jeff Risha has been a lifelong "student" of Sonny Ciancutti, one of the primary bookmakers in Western PA and took over Kelly Mannarino's book when Kelly died in December of 1980. Jeff Risha's power grew when Sonny took over New Kensington in 1986 and he worked closely with Ralph "Big Head" Masselli and a few other Ciancutti lieutenants.