John stands at 5'7 and weighs 170 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He is a distant cousin of Genovese crime family mob boss Frank Costello and cousin to Genovese crime family capo Willie Moretti. Reportedly, Barbato has been an associate of the Genovese crime family since the 1940s At the time, his criminal record included convictions of four counts of bookmaking in the 1950s and 1960s, plus a conviction for robbery in 1963. Sometime in the late 1970s, Barbato became the personal bodyguard and chauffeur for Genovese crime family Underboss and Brooklyn faction leader Venero Mangano. After being recognized as a "made member" or soldier since the 1970s, Barbato was officially excluded from the state of New Jersey on August 11, 1987.