John Montana – Buffalo Underboss and Mob Politician

John Montana was the one-time underboss of the Magaddino family of Buffalo . A successful businessman, he was influential in helping the Family gain control of all the rackets in Buffalo.

Montana's only arrest stemmed from his attendance at the ill-fated Mafia conference on November 14, 1957, at the Upstate New York palatial estate of mob boss Giuseppe (Joe the Barber) Barbara .

But it was enough to change the course of his underworld career.

Continue reading for a snapshot biography about the life of John Montana.

John Montana - Early Life

The iconic legendary mafioso Giovanni C. (Big John) Montana - aka “John Mantana,” “John Montagna” and “John Montino" - was born to parents Calogero and Rose (nee’ Valente) Montana back on June 30, 1893, in the little village of Montedoro, Sicily .

After immigrating to the United States by himself as a young man, he settled in the City of Buffalo, NY. He later became a naturalized American citizen on July 7, 1921, in Buffalo.

Montana soon settled in and made that upstate city his home and stomping grounds for the remainder of his lifetime. His parents, as well as his four brothers and three sisters, all remained in Sicily.

By this point in time, Montana had adopted the more Americanized first name of John, and he eventually married a Jewish girl named Esther (nee’ Broom.\) and made a life for himself in America.

John Montana

John and Esther were not known to have ever had any children of their own. The Montanas resided for many years at 340 Starin Avenue in Buffalo.

Montana was a stately-looking man who stood almost 6-feet tall and weighed in at a trim 180 pounds. He sported a full head of steel-grey hair and brown eyes.

If you met him and didn’t know him, you might mistake him for a seasoned politician or big businessman. For in truth, that's exactly what he was...a “mob politician and underworld kingmaker.”

FBI #193791-D

Only Once

His only arrest stemmed from his attendance at the ill-fated Mafia conference on November 14, 1957, at the Upstate New York palatial estate of mob boss Giuseppe (Joe the Barber) Barbara.

Montana was nabbed while attempting to flee the property after a task force of New York State Police raided the afternoon underworld confab. He was charged along with 62 other top racketeers from across the United States who were also detained by the authorities.

He was later indicted on one count of “conspiracy to obstruct justice” for which he was later convicted in 1960 and sentenced to serve four years in a Federal Prison and fined $10,000.

But he immediately appealed his conviction and it was later overturned, as were all the other convictions stemming from this raid.

Regardless of any official outcome of this case, John Montana’s capture at the infamous “Apalachin Meeting” had outed him as a major mafioso who had successfully cloaked himself in an air of respectability for many decades as a legitimate Buffalo businessman, multimillionaire, philanthropist, and influential political figure.

One of the Most Influential

The FBI and the U.S. Senate Investigation Committee who had investigated him publicly declared, “Montana is one of the most influential Mafia leaders in the U.S. He has used his wealth and political influence to help the Mafia gain control of all rackets in the Buffalo area.”

The extremely wealthy Montana was the registered president and held the majority ownership stock in such significant Buffalo-based businesses as Van Dyke Taxi Company which was one of the city’s largest taxicab dispatching firms.

His holdings also included Empire State Brewery Corporation and the Frontier Liquor Corporation which were the dominant wholesale distributors of top imported and domestic liquors and wines to restaurants, catering halls, and retail liquor stores in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area

Montana also owned racehorse and breeding stables up in Canada, vast land holdings and rental-income buildings around the state, and many other types of legitimate business interests.

By virtue of his former position as underboss and later as the consigliere of Buffalo’s Cosa Nostra, John Montana numbered among his friends and cronies most of the top racketeers and important mafiosi across the entire United States.

These included such high-ranking fellow Buffalo-based mafiosi as Stefano Magaddino (related by marriage to Montana) and Magaddino’s brother Antonino (Nino), Federico (Freddy the Wolf) Randaccio , Dominick D’Agostino, James La Duca, Giuseppe (Joe the Wolf) Di Carlo, Salvatore and Joseph Falcone , and Salvatore (Sam) Pieri.

Out-of-state contacts of Montana included none other than Salvatore (Lucky Luciano) Lucania himself, Frank Costello , Giuseppe (The Old Man) Profaci, Raymond Patriarca , Carlo Gambino, and Rosario (Russ) Bufalino .

After the tremendous adverse media and law enforcement exposure he received from the raid at Apalachin, Montana’s position within the Buffalo borgata and his effectiveness for the Sicilian “Brotherhood” was largely nullified.

Montana voluntarily withdrew and faded from the scene, living out the remainder of his days in quiet peace and isolation.

John Montana – Buffalo Underboss and Mob Politician

You May Also Enjoy

Racketeer Snapshot: Lucchese Family Soldier Carlo Piccioli

A Question About The Commission

Racketeer Snapshot: Detroit Mafia Soldier “Tony the Chump” Abate

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

Are you sure want to cancel subscription?

John Montana – Buffalo Underboss and Mob Politician

Unlock This Door to the Underworld

Take the Journey!

You May Also Enjoy

Racketeer Snapshot: Lucchese Family Soldier Carlo Piccioli

A Question About The Commission

Racketeer Snapshot: Detroit Mafia Soldier “Tony the Chump” Abate

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

Are you sure want to cancel subscription?