Los Angeles-California

California Casino History Did You Know? Donation Gambling History Gaming History Los Angeles-California Quick Facts Rex (offshore, Southern CA) Tony Cornero / Antonio Cornero Stralla United States

Quick Fact - Tainted v. Pure Money

1938 Gambler Tony Cornero Stralla offered to donate a day’s worth of revenue from his Southern California casino boat, the Rex, to Zoo Park at 3800 Mission Road in Los Angeles. The attraction, then owned/operated…

California Casino History Chico Marx Did You Know? Gambling History George "Les" Bruneman Los Angeles-California Murder Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Cavalier Comic

1937 A $2,000 check signed “Chico Marx” (about $34,600 today) was found in the pocket of Los Angeles gambler/bookmaker George “Les” Bruneman upon his murder carried out by a couple of Southern California Mafia hitmen.…

Bookmaking CA Governor Edmond "Pat" G. Brown CA Governor Gerald "Jerry" Brown California Casino History Feuds Folsom State Prison (CA) Frank Bompensiero Gambling Gambling History Gaming History George "Les" Bruneman It Really Happened Jack Dragna Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno Johnny Rosselli Leonard "Leo/Lips" C. Moceri Los Angeles-California Murder Nationwide (Wire Service) Surf Club (Redondo Beach, CA) United States

Los Angeles Mafiosos Snuff Out Innocents' Lives Over Gambling Beef

1937-1981 An innocent man was placed in law enforcement’s crosshairs in late 1930s Los Angeles for a heinous crime … the frame-up stuck. Caught Unawares While strolling on Southern California’s Redondo Beach Strand, or boardwalk,…

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts California Casino History Coins Crimes / Violence / Punishments Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Gambling History Games / Races Gaming History Illegal Los Angeles-California Poker Quick Facts Raid United States

Quick Fact - Threefold Pettiness

1940 After some angry husbands in Los Angeles, California complained their wives were gambling away the grocery money, two vice squad officers raided the Monday night birthday party of Ann Dicker, a 73-year-old great-grandmother, at…

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Illegal Los Angeles Chief of Police Charles E. Sebastian Los Angeles-California Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Vice Crusade Tactic

1913 As what the Los Angeles Times called the “the first sally in the greatest campaign that has ever been waged for the elimination of gambling” (April 7, 1913), Los Angeles Chief of Police Charles…

CA Anti-Gambling Act California Casino History Cheating / Fleecing Floating Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Lawsuit Los Angeles-California Nick Licata Peter J. Milano San Fernando Valley--California U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation United States

Los Angeles Mobster's Gambling Ring

1971-1974 In 1971, various people began complaining to the local police department they’d gotten fleeced at an informal casino setup in California’s San Fernando Valley (yes, the location of, like, “valley girl” fame, a culture…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Los Angeles city jail Los Angeles-California Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Joint Features Gambling

1916 The Los Angeles city jail was likely the only legalized casino in California, with gambling taking place daily to a shocking extent, declared Faith Chevaillier, a woman whom President Chester Arthur appointed to evaluate…

"711 Ocean Drive" Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Boulder City--Nevada California Casino History Edmond O'Brien Frank N. Seltzer (Producer) Gambling History Gaming History Gangster Squad Harassment / Intimidation Horse Racing It Really Happened Joanne Dru Las Vegas--Nevada Lieutenant William "Bill" Burns Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles-California Mickey Cohen Mobsters / Gangsters / Syndicate Members (Alleged) Nevada Palm Springs--California United States

Mobsters Threaten Hollywood Filmmaker

1950 In late 1948, Hollywood movie producer, Frank N. Seltzer — known for the movies, Jungle Patrol and Let’s Live Again, which debuted that same year — began research for his next project, 711 Ocean…

Asians CA Anti-Gambling Act California Casino History Extortion Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Grafting It Really Happened Los Angeles Captain of Police Captain of Police C.A. Ketlar Los Angeles Chief of Police J.W. Davis Los Angeles City Council (CA) Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles-California Officer John L. Fonck United States

Dirty Police Chief in City of Angels?

1886 In fall 1886, Officer John L. Fonck confronted one of his superiors face to face. He charged Chief of Police J.W. Davis with “standing in with the gamblers,” in other words, allowing them to…