Bugsy Siegel - California

California

Through his consorts, Siegel allegedly heard that his hospital alibi had seemingly become questionable to adversaries and that several other enemies were seeking him. In the late 1930s, the East Coast mob sent Siegel to California. Biographer Jennings disputes this claim, stating that there is evidence of Siegel's alleged journeys out West to Los Angeles dating as early as 1933. Siegel's mission was to develop syndicate gambling rackets with Los Angeles crime family boss, Jack Dragna. Once in Los Angeles, Siegel recruited gang boss Mickey Cohen as his chief lieutenant. In knowledge of Siegel's reputation for violence and was known that he had the backing of Lansky and Luciano who, from prison, sent word to Dragna that it was in his best interest to cooperate, Dragna had to accept a subordinate role.

Siegel moved Esta and their two daughters, Millicent and Barbara, to California. On tax returns he claimed to earn his living through legal gambling at Santa Anita Park near Los Angeles. In Los Angeles he worked as the bagman, collecting the growing skim for Sidney Korshak in Chicago. Siegel used syndicate money to set up a national wire service to help the East Coast mob quicken their returns. He worked with the area's wire services, as well as the syndicate's enormous narcotics trade route through Mexico, and helped set up new circuits with the Chicago Outfit's Trans-America Wire service. By 1942, the syndicate's wire operation was earning them half a million dollars a day. In 1947, the wire service was eventually ceded by Jack Dragna due to the several complications with Siegel, thus, aggravating Ben. Nonetheless, Siegel raked a percentage of profits from the largest prostitution ring in the West. Often if it moved in the netherworld of illegality, Benjamin Siegel was known to get his share. However, Siegel also maintained several of the prominent politicians, businessmen, attorneys, accountants, and lobbyists who fronted for him.