Men are obsessed with leaving a legacy of outstanding achievements or good deeds. Despite this notoriety, this is not the case for Bumpy Johnson. He was a close associate and friend of Civil Rights Movement revolutionist leader Malcolm X. Bumpy Johnson, a boss in the Italian Lottery Mafia, rained terror in the streets of Harlem. But what was Bumpy Johnson's net worth?
Ellsworth Raymond Johnson, popularly known as Bumpy Johnson, inspired the Hollywood film Godfather of Harlem to revolutionize organized crime. He earned the nickname Bumpy for featuring a slight deformation on his skull.
Bumpy Johnson's profile summary
| Full name | Ellsworth Raymond Johnson |
| Nickname | Bumpy Johnson |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 31st October 1905 |
| Age | Deceased 7th July 1986 |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Place of birth | Charleston, South California |
| Final rest place | Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York City |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African -American |
| Religion | Christian |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5'8 |
| Height in centimetres | 172 |
| Weight in pounds | 160 |
| Weight in kilograms | 72 |
| Mother | Margaret Moultrie |
| Father | William Johnson |
| Siblings | Willie and Mabel |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Partner | Mayme Hatcher |
| Children | Ruthie and Elease |
| Profession | Criminal, Drug trafficker |
| Net worth | $50 million |
Bumpy Johnson's net worth
Bumpy Johnson was a true criminal mastermind who plied his craft with criminal boss Madame Stephanie St.Clair. His net worth at death topped an estimated $50 million owing to the management of most of the mafia's businesses.
What happened to Bumpy Johnson's money? Despite his criminal involvement and profiting from violent acts in Harlem, he donated most of his financial proceedings to Harlem Boys Club to keep young boys off the streets.
Bumpy was a philanthropist in his local community and donated generously to the less fortunate in his community. Under the NAACP, he gave talks warning young boys of the dangers of crime and funded projects to help them find alternative work.
Bumpy Johnson's earnings
Bumpy was the architect behind the Italian Lottery Mafia financial network. He earned an annual income of $1 million. Following his parole release from Alcatraz after serving a ten-year sentence, he designed the mafia into an organized syndicate.
He orchestrated the mafia under several businesses around Harlem's real estate, casinos, hotels and nightclubs. Bumpy Johnson's dealings were directly related to crime, and most of his earnings were kept under wraps to avoid sanctioning by local authorities.
Bumpy became wealthy from dealing in narcotics, extortion and firearms sales. However, his robin hood persona saw Bumpy donate most of the profits robbed from the affluent impoverished in the community, as showcased in the film Godfather of Harlem.
Career
Bumpy Johnson's early childhood was troublesome, with his parents forced to mortgage their home after his older brother Willie was allegedly accused of killing a white man. Fearful of the public's wrath, Willie was sent upstate to live with relatives.
This American mobster was insolent, had a short temper and harboured similar sentiments as his brother. He was sent to live with his sister Mabel in Harlem to prevent a repeat of similar events. He earned the nickname bumpy from the swollen bump on his head.
Johnson dropped out of school shortly and began his raid of crime in Harlem. What did Bumpy Johnson do for a living? Bumpy Johnson was a criminal associated with Madame Stephanie St Claire's Italian Lottery Mafia.
In 1952 Johnson was imprisoned at the infamous Alcatraz ultra-security prison in San Francisco Bay for a conspiracy charge. He was, however, paroled in 1963 after serving 15 years behind bars at the prison as inmate 1117.
How powerful was Bumpy Johnson? Johnson was so powerful in Queen's New York that his criminal involvement was made public in the popular black magazine Jet. He was involved in over 40 murders and kidnappings during his stint with the New York Queens gang.
Were Bumpy Johnson and Malcolm X friends? Macom X and Johson were friends. They shared similar principles regarding the Civil Right Movement sweeping America at the time. Johnson provided Malcom with security when he parted ways with leaders of the nation of Islam.
When Malcom withdrew Johnson from his security due to their association's negative publicity, he was assassinated two months later, on 21st February 1965, by a Nation of Islam member. Bumpy Johnson died of congestive heart failure in 1986 and was buried in New York.
Properties
Bumpy Johnson's house was located at 163 West 123rd Street, Harlem. The house was passed down to his wife, Mayme Johnson, inspiring her to write the book Harlen Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson.
Bumpy Johnson fast facts
- What did Bumpy Johnson do for a living? Bumpy Johnson was a criminal associated with Madame Stephanie St. Claire's Italian Lottery Mafia.
- What was Bumpy Johnson's net worth at death? Bumpy Johnson had an estimated $50 million net worth attained from the proceeding of the Harlem mafia gang syndicate.
- Was Malcom x friends with Bumpy Johnson? Yes, the pair were friends dating back to when Malcolm X was a minor street hustler under the alias Detroit Red.
- What happened to Bumpy Johnson's money? Bumpy Johnson passed down his money to his wife and donated to his community through NAACP and the Harlem Boys Club.
- How did Bumpy Johnson die? Bumpy Johnson died of congestive heart failure aged 62 on 7th July 1968 while having breakfast.
- Which Hollywood film did Bumpy Johnson inspire? Bumpy Johnson inspired the Hollywood film Godfather of Harlem.
- Where was Bumpy Johson incarcerated? Bumpy Johnson was imprisoned and served a 10-year sentence before parole at San Francisco Bay, California's infamous prison Alcatraz.
Bumpy Johnson's net worth - Final word
Bumpy Johnson is an example of an unparallel story of crime and philanthropy in charge of one of Harlem's most organized crime syndicates. By his death, Bumpy Johnson's net worth allegedly reached an estimated $50 million.
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