Stefano Magaddino
Named first in a 1968 Western District of New York gambling indictment that was dismissed after the government conceded illegal FBI bugging in the Buffalo area; the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal in 1974. Joseph Valachi testified in 1963 that he was the boss in Buffalo.
- Aliases
- Steve Magaddino, Stephen Magaddino, Don Stefano, Stefano Magadinno, Steve Maggadino
- Family
- "another family in Buffalo," in Joseph Valachi's testimony to the Senate subcommittee (27 September 1963)
- Role
- Boss in Buffalo, in Joseph Valachi's testimony (8 October 1963: asked "Is he the boss of Buffalo?" (the OCR reads "hoss"), he answered "He still is."). Testimony, not a court finding.
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 17 August 1921 — The New York Tribune's front page lists "Stefano Magadinno, thirty years old," of Brooklyn, first among eight men arrested in New York on homicide charges after an informant confessed to a killing at Avon, N.J. The paper reports the informant's claim that "Lombardi and Magaddino" instructed him. Newspaper report of an informant's and the police's claims.
- 22 August 1921 — The New York Tribune refers to a "Camorra band headed by Lombardi and Magaddino, now awaiting trial." Newspaper report; no record opened for this archive gives the outcome of the 1921 charges.
- 1958 — The McClellan Committee staff list, which the chairman said "is not evidence," gives "Maggadino, Steve (Lewiston, N. Y.)" with family ties by marriage to John Montana and James LaDuca, and calls him "Brother of Anthony, who attended Apalachin meeting" (Part 32, p. 12198). Committee staff memorandum.
- 27 September 1963 — Valachi testified that Vito Agueci, whom he met in the Atlanta penitentiary, "was a member of another family in Buffalo. Stephen Magaddino." (Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics, Senate hearings, Part 1, p. 91). Testimony.
- 1 October 1963 — Joseph Valachi testified that during the gang war of 1930-31 "There was $5,000 a week coming in from Buffalo which was Steve Magaddino" (Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics, Senate hearings, Part 1, p. 193). Testimony.
- 2 October 1963 — Valachi testified that on a trip to Buffalo during the months he was with Salvatore Maranzano "I was entertained by Steve Magaddino about 7 or 8 days," who lent him $500. Asked "He was the boss in Buffalo?", he answered "At this time." (Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics, Senate hearings, Part 1, pp. 219-220). Testimony.
- 8 October 1963 — Asked by Senator Javits "Is he the boss of Buffalo?" (the OCR reads "hoss"), Valachi answered "He still is." He added: "He is the boss. Montana originally was a lieutenant under him." (Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics, Senate hearings, Part 1, p. 299). Testimony.
- 9 October 1963 — Valachi testified that Vito Genovese called the 1957 Apalachin meeting and "wanted to go to Chicago. Stephen Magaddino talked him into going to Apalachin." (Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics, Senate hearings, Part 1, p. 389). Testimony.
- 16 October 1963 — Buffalo police Lt. Michael Amico read a statement calling him "the irrefutable lord paramount and titular head of syndicated organized crime in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls and Toronto areas" (the OCR reads "10re1" for "lord"), said he "was arrested on August 16, 1921, as a fugitive from justice, relative to a homicide at Avon, N.J.," and said police "believe" he was at Apalachin (Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics, Senate hearings, Part 2, pp. 588-589). Police testimony.
- 4 December 1968 — The Second Circuit records that Stefano Magaddino, Peter Magaddino, Benjamin Nicoletti, Sr., and seven others "were indicted in the Western District of New York for use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote gambling and conspiracy to do the same." The district court dismissed the indictment in 1973 when the government declined to disclose its informant.
- 2 May 1974 — United States v. Magaddino, 496 F.2d 455 (2d Cir. 1974), affirms the dismissal as to him. The court records the government's statement that its 1961-65 bugging of the Magaddino Memorial Chapel and other sites aimed at "a feud between the Magaddino and Bonanno familes." A ruling on suppression, not on guilt.
This page is limited to federal records and two newspaper pages of 1921. The family and role lines quote Joseph Valachi’s sworn testimony to the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in 1963. Testimony is not a finding, and no court record opened for this archive states his rank. The Buffalo police chart entered on October 16, 1963 (Exhibit 64) labels him as boss of a wider area, and committee counsel read it that way at the hearing; that is a chart label and does not set anything on this page or on the Buffalo family chart. The 1921 newspaper pages report an informant’s confession and police claims; their outcome is not established by any record opened here. No record opened for this archive gives his birth or death date.
Records
itemUnited States v. Magaddino, 496 F.2d 455 (2d Cir. 1974)Second Circuit opinion of May 2, 1974 affirming the dismissal of a 1968 Western District of New York gambling indictment against Stefano Magaddino and others, after the government conceded illegal FBI bugging in the Buffalo area from 1961 to 1965 and declined to disclose an informant.
itemTestimony of Buffalo Police Lt. Michael Amico on Stefano Magaddino and John C. Montana, October 16, 1963The head of Buffalo's Criminal Intelligence Bureau introduced the "Magaddino Empire of Organized Crime" chart (Exhibit 65), read a statement calling Stefano Magaddino the "titular head" of syndicated crime in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls and Toronto areas, and said police had found no arrest of John C. Montana before Apalachin.
itemStatement of Buffalo Police Commissioner William H. Schneider, October 16, 1963Buffalo's police commissioner told the Senate subcommittee that the "so-called syndicate" was not responsible for all crime in Buffalo, that police had not been able to secure evidence of a criminal conspiracy that could be presented in court, and that the Buffalo chart, Exhibit 64, was accurate to the best of the department's knowledge.
itemMcClellan Committee staff list: "Individuals at Apalachin and Names of Some of Their Contacts and Associates" (1958)An alphabetical staff memorandum printed in Part 32 (pp. 12194-12201) giving a residence and a summary of arrests, businesses and associations for each Apalachin attendee and some contacts. The chairman admitted it "for guidance and information only" and said "It is not evidence."
clippingNew York Tribune, 17 August 1921, page 1: 8 Held in 51 Murders Charged to CamorraFront page of the New York Tribune, 17 August 1921: police arrest eight men in New York on homicide charges after an informant's confession to a killing at Avon, N.J. "Stefano Magadinno, thirty years old," of Brooklyn, heads the list of those arrested.
clippingNew York Tribune, 22 August 1921, page 4: Guards Hired By Rich Italians Fearing MurderPage 4 of the New York Tribune, 22 August 1921: a follow-up on the August arrests, reporting that a man leaving for Italy had been threatened by members of the "Camorra band headed by Lombardi and Magaddino, now awaiting trial."itemTestimony of Joseph Valachi, September 27, 1963Valachi's first public day before the Senate subcommittee. He gave his birth date and sentences, said he joined "Cosa Nostra" in 1930, and set out its ranks.itemTestimony of Joseph Valachi, October 1, 1963: the initiation ceremonyValachi described the ceremony at which he said he was made a member, with Salvatore Maranzano speaking. The same day, staff presented Exhibit 8, the Masseria-Maranzano war chart.itemHearing of October 2, 1963: Valachi's testimony and police recordsValachi continued his account of the 1930 to 1931 gang war. Police witnesses from Hartford and New York testified to records the subcommittee set beside his statements.itemHearing of October 8, 1963: the five New York family charts presentedNew York police Deputy Chief Inspector John J. Shanley presented Charts A to E, and Valachi answered questions about the men on them. McClellan directed that the charts be printed "exactly as they appear."itemHearing of October 9, 1963: final day of Part 1The last day of Valachi's public testimony, with further New York police and staff witnesses. The chairman stated a chart total of 338 persons, 289 of them identified by Valachi.
itemExhibit No. 64: "Buffalo, N.Y. Organization"Buffalo police fold-out chart entered on October 16, 1963, with a boss of "Entire Western N.Y. Area," an underboss, lieutenants and section leaders.
itemExhibit No. 65: "Magaddino Empire of Organized Crime" (Buffalo Police Department)A typed box chart by the Buffalo Police Department, printed at page 587 of Part 2, linking Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Youngstown and Canada under one name.
itemTestimony of Buffalo Police Lt. Michael Amico on Stefano Magaddino and John C. Montana, October 16, 1963The head of Buffalo's Criminal Intelligence Bureau introduced the "Magaddino Empire of Organized Crime" chart (Exhibit 65), read a statement calling Stefano Magaddino the "titular head" of syndicated crime in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls and Toronto areas, and said police had found no arrest of John C. Montana before Apalachin.itemStatement of Buffalo Police Commissioner William H. Schneider, October 16, 1963Buffalo's police commissioner told the Senate subcommittee that the "so-called syndicate" was not responsible for all crime in Buffalo, that police had not been able to secure evidence of a criminal conspiracy that could be presented in court, and that the Buffalo chart, Exhibit 64, was accurate to the best of the department's knowledge.itemMcClellan Committee staff list: "Individuals at Apalachin and Names of Some of Their Contacts and Associates" (1958)An alphabetical staff memorandum printed in Part 32 (pp. 12194-12201) giving a residence and a summary of arrests, businesses and associations for each Apalachin attendee and some contacts. The chairman admitted it "for guidance and information only" and said "It is not evidence."clippingNew York Tribune, 17 August 1921, page 1: 8 Held in 51 Murders Charged to CamorraFront page of the New York Tribune, 17 August 1921: police arrest eight men in New York on homicide charges after an informant's confession to a killing at Avon, N.J. "Stefano Magadinno, thirty years old," of Brooklyn, heads the list of those arrested.clippingNew York Tribune, 22 August 1921, page 4: Guards Hired By Rich Italians Fearing MurderPage 4 of the New York Tribune, 22 August 1921: a follow-up on the August arrests, reporting that a man leaving for Italy had been threatened by members of the "Camorra band headed by Lombardi and Magaddino, now awaiting trial."itemTestimony of Joseph Valachi, September 27, 1963Valachi's first public day before the Senate subcommittee. He gave his birth date and sentences, said he joined "Cosa Nostra" in 1930, and set out its ranks.itemTestimony of Joseph Valachi, October 1, 1963: the initiation ceremonyValachi described the ceremony at which he said he was made a member, with Salvatore Maranzano speaking. The same day, staff presented Exhibit 8, the Masseria-Maranzano war chart.itemHearing of October 2, 1963: Valachi's testimony and police recordsValachi continued his account of the 1930 to 1931 gang war. Police witnesses from Hartford and New York testified to records the subcommittee set beside his statements.itemHearing of October 8, 1963: the five New York family charts presentedNew York police Deputy Chief Inspector John J. Shanley presented Charts A to E, and Valachi answered questions about the men on them. McClellan directed that the charts be printed "exactly as they appear."itemHearing of October 9, 1963: final day of Part 1The last day of Valachi's public testimony, with further New York police and staff witnesses. The chairman stated a chart total of 338 persons, 289 of them identified by Valachi.itemExhibit No. 64: "Buffalo, N.Y. Organization"Buffalo police fold-out chart entered on October 16, 1963, with a boss of "Entire Western N.Y. Area," an underboss, lieutenants and section leaders.itemExhibit No. 65: "Magaddino Empire of Organized Crime" (Buffalo Police Department)A typed box chart by the Buffalo Police Department, printed at page 587 of Part 2, linking Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Youngstown and Canada under one name.