Sulkin was a native of Toledo, Ohio. Sulkin was flip, arrogant, ruthless, greedy and ambitious. He started out selling newspapers at 12 and by the age of 25 was known as Toledo's preeminent political fixer. Growing up around crime and vice gave young Jacob a fascination with the power of gangsters. This fascination led Jacob to seek out Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli and offer political protection to his gang from the negative press and political pressure that they were getting in Detroit due to several high profile murders.