Mickey Cohen: From Newsboy to Kingpin of Los Angeles

Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen is one of the most infamous figures in American organised crime, a man whose journey from a Brooklyn newsboy to Los Angeles’ most recognisable gangster is packed with violence, political intrigue, and larger-than-life personality. Unlike many of his contemporaries, who remained rooted in the East Coast’s criminal underworld, Cohen’s trajectory took him across the country, first as a hopeful boxer and later as a ruthless enforcer.

Early Life and Boxing Career

Born on 4 September 1913 in New York City to Jewish parents who had emigrated from Kiev, Cohen’s early life was anything but stable. His family relocated to Los Angeles when he was nine, settling in the working-class neighbourhood of Boyle Heights. Even as a young boy, he demonstrated an entrepreneurial streak—albeit through dubious means. He earned money selling newspapers on the street, often engaging in physical disputes to defend his territory. His older brothers would drop him off at his regular corner at Soto and Brooklyn Streets (now Cesar E. Chavez Avenue), reinforcing a street-smart toughness that would later define his criminal career.

Cohen’s early forays into crime led to his first stint in reform school at the age of eight, following various petty thefts and shoplifting incidents. While there, he picked up the rudiments of boxing, a skill that would serve him both in and outside the ring. By 15, he had moved to Cleveland with aspirations of becoming a professional fighter. He fought under the alias "Irish Mickey Cohen," competing in minor bouts across the country, including in Chicago and Los Angeles. On 8 April 1930, he won his first professional fight against Patsy Farr in Cleveland. Unfortunately, success in the ring proved elusive. He lost his next five fights in a row, and by the end of his boxing career, he had amassed a record of 8 wins (2 by knockout), 8 losses (4 by knockout), and 5 draws. It was during this period that he first acquired the moniker "Gangster Mickey Cohen."

Mugshot of Mickey Cohen, taken three months after his defeat by TKO against Chalky Wright.

Criminal Beginnings: Cleveland and Chicago

Cohen’s failed boxing career led him towards another path—organised crime. While in Cleveland, he was introduced to Lou Rothkopf, an associate of notorious Midwestern bootlegger Moe Dalitz. His first major brush with the law came when he was arrested for armed robbery, though he managed to beat the charge. Realising he was attracting too much attention in Cleveland, he moved to Chicago, where he went to work for the Outfit, the powerful criminal organisation originally founded by Al Capone.

During this time, Cohen was involved in running gambling operations in the final years of Prohibition. He later claimed to have met Capone, but the timeline is murky; Capone was already serving time for tax evasion by the time Cohen was active in Chicago. Regardless, Cohen’s involvement with the Outfit brought him into contact with key figures such as Jake Guzik and Mattie Capone (Al’s younger brother). However, his volatile nature and disputes with rival gamblers made staying in Chicago untenable. Cohen’s superiors, including Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, arranged for him to relocate to Los Angeles in 1937.

Mickey Cohen is seated in his Los Angeles office with his enforcer, "Johnny Stomp" Stompanato (famously stabbed and killed by Lana Turner’s 14-year-old daughter, Cheryl Crane, in 1958), and his business manager, Mike Howard.

Building a Criminal Empire in Los Angeles

Los Angeles in the late 1930s was a lucrative, if relatively disorganised, landscape for organised crime. With the backing of the Outfit, Cohen was sent to help Siegel consolidate control over illegal gambling and vice operations. His responsibilities included running sports betting operations and maintaining the “race wire,” an essential service for bookies reliant on real-time horse racing results.

However, Cohen’s ambitions and propensity for violence quickly made him a target. His primary rival was Jack Dragna, a Sicilian-born crime boss who resented Cohen’s incursion into his territory. Their feud resulted in a protracted and bloody gang war, with multiple attempts on Cohen’s life. In 1949, a bomb was detonated at his luxurious Brentwood home, prompting him to transform the residence into a virtual fortress, complete with floodlights and an extensive arsenal of weapons.

Throughout the 1940s, Cohen diversified his operations. He ran nightclubs, jewellery stores, and even ice cream trucks, while also engaging in loan-sharking, extortion, and bribery of public officials. He was also allegedly at the centre of a pornography and blackmail ring that ensnared Hollywood elites and local politicians. His close ties to figures such as Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky solidified his influence in national syndicate affairs.

Hollywood Connections and Political Ties

Cohen’s larger-than-life persona attracted the attention of celebrities and politicians alike. He was friendly with crooner Frank Sinatra and even financially supported Richard Nixon’s congressional campaign. He also became an unlikely acquaintance of Billy Graham, the evangelical preacher, and drew the admiration of publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Yet, despite his affability in high society, his violent methods ensured that he remained under constant police scrutiny.

In 1950, he was called to testify before the U.S. Senate’s Kefauver Committee on organised crime. His combative responses and refusal to acknowledge his illegal activities made national headlines. He later sat for a 1957 televised interview with journalist Mike Wallace, during which he openly admitted to at least one killing and harshly criticised Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker.

Mickey Cohen's Prison Stints and Later Years

Cohen’s criminal enterprises eventually caught up with him. In 1951, he was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to four years in prison. Upon his release, he resumed his activities, only to be convicted once again for tax evasion in 1961. This time, he was sent to Alcatraz and later to the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. During his second incarceration, he survived an assassination attempt by fellow inmate Burl Estes McDonald, who attacked him with a lead pipe in 1963.

After his release in 1972, Cohen, now suffering from stomach cancer, largely withdrew from public life. He remained a fixture in Los Angeles, running various small businesses and occasionally making television appearances. He died in his sleep on 29 July 1976 and was buried at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.

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