Both Thomas and his brother Daniel Ricciardi were associated with the Lucchese family's New Jersey faction before becoming informants. Ricciardi was a member of Michael Taccetta's inner circle and controlled The Jersey crew's illegal gambling operations. In 1984, Ricciardi paid a visit to Vincent Craparotta, the uncle of two brothers who owned a video poker factory on the Jersey shore called Joker Poker. The Lucchese's wanted a piece of the company. Wielding golf clubs, Ricciardi and an associate beat Craparotta to death.