Zuta (also spelled as "Zoota") was born on February 18, 1888, to a Polish-Jewish peasant family in Russian Empire. He immigrated to the United States around 1913. Living in Chicago, Zuta worked as a junk dealer on the West Side before becoming involved in prostitution. He eventually operated several brothels on west Madison Street. However he was put out of business by competition from Mike "The Pike" Heitler and the Guzik Brothers, Harry and "Greasy Thumb" Jake Guzik.