What is Bumpy Johnson’s net worth at the time of his death and the equivalent of today? Most of us learned about this man through movies but if you love American crime history or drama, you might as well heard notorious Bumpy Johnson.
Bumpy Johnson was a notorious drug lord who rule the drug underworld of Harlem in the early mid-20th century. He grew into the drug business and become one of the most successful drug dealers in Harlem and in America.
But how much was Bumpy Johnson’s net worth compared to his net worth today? Let’s see.
Bumpy Johnson’s Net Worth
Bumpy Johnson at the time of his death was worth between $50 to $100 million. That would be equivalent to about $400 million and $800 million today, adjusted for inflation. He was one of the wealthiest and most powerful criminals in America.
Sources of bumpy johnson’s net worth
Johnson’s main source of income was drug trafficking, especially heroin. He worked with Italian mobsters like Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello, who supplied him with drugs from overseas. Johnson also had interests in real estate, entertainment, and investment banking and invested in several of them.
He owned several properties in Harlem, including nightclubs, restaurants, and hotels.
Biography of Bumpy Johnson
Bumpy Johnson was born Ellsworth Raymond Johnson in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1905. He moved to Harlem, New York, when he was 14 and soon dropped out of school to join the underworld.
| Full Name | Ellsworth Raymond ‘Bumpy’ Johnson |
| Date of Birth | October 31, 1905 |
| Place of Birth | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Age | 63 years |
| Education | High School drop-out |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black-American |
| Religion | Non-Religious |
| Criminal Penalty | 15 years imprisonment |
| Spouse | Mayme Hatcher |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | Illegal Drug Business |
| Known as | The Godfather of Harlem |
| Known for | Drug Business of Harlem |
He became an associate of Madame Stephanie St. Clair, a numbers queen who ran a lucrative gambling racket. Johnson helped St. Clair fight against Dutch Schultz, a rival mobster who wanted to take over Harlem.
Johnson was known for his intelligence, charisma, and ruthlessness. He also had a reputation for being generous and loyal to his friends and community. He was nicknamed “Bumpy” because of a bump on the back of his head.
Johnson had an elder brother called Willie, at 12 Willie murdered a white man by beating him to death. To avoid possible lynching his parents sent him up North of the county to family relatives.
Bumpy and his brother were well-known for being hostile to white racists in their neighborhood and so, Johnson is always kept inhouse to prevent from getting into fights with white kids who throw hateful words at him.
Johnson married his wife Mayme Hatcher in 1948 after dating for just 6 months. They had a daughter together named Ruthie, however, Bumpy Johnson has another daughter, Elease from an unknown relationship.
In his life, Bumpy Johnson was arrested 40 times and served a prison sentence two times all for narcotics-related cases.
how did Bumpy Johnson die?
Considering his status as a powerful underground drug lord, many would have expected him to live very long just like his wife who died in 2009 at the age of 94, but that wasn’t the case.
Bumpy suffered congestive heart failure on July 7th, 1968, at the age of 62. He was having chicken and coffee at Wells Restaurant in Harlem shortly before 2 a.m. at dawn when he clutched onto his chest and died on the spot.
His wife and parents came for his body at daybreak and buried him in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City.
does he receive any royalty for the projects written about his life?
There are over 10 songs, movies, games, and books written in honor of Bumpy Johnson, however, there are no confidential reports that he receives any royalty that contributes to his net worth after his death.
Some of the films in remembrance of Bumpy Johnson are Shaft, Come Back Charleston Blue, Escape From Alcatraz, The Cotton Club, Hoodlum, Life, and American Gangster.
American rapper Prodigy had an EP and an Album named after him, The Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson EP and the Bumpy Johnson Album.
Sammy Robinson’s character in the game Mafia III was partially inspired by Bumpy Johnson’s lifestyle.
However, none of these works had paid any hommage to Bumpy in any way to add up to his net worth.
FAQs
Who was bumpy Johnson killed?
Bumpy Johnson was not killed or murdered by anyone, he died of Congestive Heart Failure.
who was bumpy Johnson’s right-hand man?
Bumpy Johnson’s right-hand man according to the book his late wife Mayme Johnson wrote in his honor detailed the relationship between him and Frank Lucas, the man he called his right-hand man.
who took the business from bumpy johnson?
His right-hand man Franck Lucas took over the business and almost everything the Godfather of Harlem has worked for but later presented the family with the necessary papers.