Joseph Barbara (mobster)

Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara (January 9, 1905 – June 17, 1959) was an Italian-American mobster who headed a powerful crime family based in northeastern Pennsylvania and upstate New York. He is best known for hosting the infamous Apalachin Meeting, a summit of Mafia leaders from across the United States in 1957.

Born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Barbara immigrated to the United States as a young man. He initially operated a legitimate business, a soft drink bottling company, in Endicott, New York, which provided a cover for his illegal activities. Barbara's criminal enterprise involved a variety of rackets, including bootlegging during Prohibition, gambling, extortion, and loan sharking. He accumulated considerable wealth and influence, controlling a significant portion of the organized crime activity in his territory.

Barbara maintained close ties with other prominent Mafia figures, including Vito Genovese and Albert Anastasia. His sprawling estate in Apalachin, New York, was chosen as the site for the Apalachin Meeting in November 1957. The gathering was intended to be a discussion of various Mafia business interests and succession issues following the assassination of Anastasia.

However, the meeting was unexpectedly raided by New York State Police, alerted by the suspicious activity surrounding the Barbara estate. Over 60 high-ranking Mafia members were apprehended, leading to widespread publicity and damaging the Mafia's reputation.

Barbara was indicted on charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice following the Apalachin raid. While he was never convicted in connection with the meeting itself, the publicity and scrutiny it generated significantly impacted his standing within the Mafia. He died of a heart attack in June 1959. The Apalachin Meeting is considered a significant event in the history of organized crime in the United States, exposing the scope and influence of the Mafia to the public and law enforcement.