Their base was the Transit Caf in South Boston, which later became Whitey's Triple O's. Bulger and Greig then went on the run together. In a decision that would prove costly to him, Donahue offered Halloran a ride home. Guards immediately undertook lifesaving measures, officials said, but he was pronounced dead. This earned Shea a legendary reputation in South Boston. On June 12, 2013, Bulger went on trial in South Boston's John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse before Judge Denise J. Casper on 32 counts of racketeering and firearms possession. After interrogating McIntyre over several hours, however, Bulger decided that he did not have the discipline to cut ties with everyone. [34], Shortly after his release in April 1948, Bulger joined the United States Air Force, but he had not reformed. I certainly always stand by him. [105] This was the third homicide at the prison in a 40-day span. If he had a gun on him, he would go out in a blaze of glory rather than spend the rest of his life in jail. Connolly kept telling me that 90 percent of the information in the files came from Stevie. The Killeens were led by three brothersDonnie, Kenny and Eddiealong with Billy O'Sullivan and Jack Curran. The first confirmed sighting of Bulger before his capture was in London in 2002. Flemmi has identified the second shooter as Patrick Nee, who has denied the allegation and has yet to be charged. "[35]:247 In a 2011 interview, Flemmi recalled, "Me and Whitey gave [the Feds] shit, and they gave us gold."[36]. ", "Hearing this afternoon for fugitive mobster snared by FBI", "James 'Whitey' Bulger captured after 16 years on the run", "Mobster's run almost textbook case of evasion", "FBI used 'ruse' to lure mobster to his capture", "Tip That Led To Bulger Arrest Came From Iceland", "Death-penalty states waiting for bite of Bulger", "Bulger offers new details to authorities", "James "Whitey" Bulger Pleads Not Guilty to 48 Charges in Boston Court", "Bulger's former associate Kevin Weeks speaks out", "The long, unlikely journey of Cathy Greig", "A Gangster's Gal Was Loyal to the End of Life on the Run", "Pal: Catherine Greig had 'a thing' for boys on 'darker side's", "Whitey Bulger's Wily Girlfriend Catherine Greig", "Brockton lawyer Kevin Reddington hired to defend Catherine Greig", "Feds detail role of Catherine Greig, kin in life on run", "Catherine Greig attorney says she'll go to trial Quincy, MA", "Girlfriend gets 8 years for hiding 'Whitey' Bulger", 'Whitey' Bulger's Girlfriend Faces More Time for Her Silence, Judge sentences 'unapologetic' Catherine Greig to 21 months, 'Whitey' Bulger's girlfriend refuses to testify, "Jury in James 'Whitey' Bulger trial begins deliberations", "Bulger, guilty in 11 murders, will appeal", "Judge to 'Whitey' Bulger: Depravity of your crimes is unfathomable", "Okla., Fla. prosecutors: Bulger death penalty trial decisions after Boston sentencing", "James 'Whitey' Bulger moved to Oklahoma prison", "James 'Whitey' Bulger dead, had been moved to W. Va", "Whitey Bulger's Fatal Prison Beating: 'He Was Unrecognizable', "Notorious mob boss Whitey Bulger found dead in prison", "Mob Boss James 'Whitey' Bulger Beaten to Death With 'Lock-in-a-Sock', "Meet the mob hitman suspected of killing Whitey Bulger", Prison drops visits after Whitey Bulger slaying, "Whitey Bulger's eyes reportedly almost gouged out in deadly attack", "Notorious crime boss Whitey Bulger has been reportedly killed in prison", "Springfield hitman eyed in Whitey Bulger's slaying", "This mafia hitman, Fotios 'Freddy' Geas, hated 'rats'. Published Oct. 29, 2021. This led to him meeting more experienced criminals and finding more lucrative opportunities. [97] Whether Bulger was targeted randomly or deliberately is not known. Oct. 29, 2021 1:45 AM PT. [105], Bulger was transferred from the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City to United States Penitentiary, Hazelton, in West Virginia on October 29, 2018. In his letter about the events that almost led to his death he wrote, "I thought someone was taking target practice at us. In a 2004 interview, Stanley stated that she was planning to publish her memoirs;[44] however, she died of lung cancer in 2012 at the age of 71.[133]. James "Whitey" Bulger, the murderous Boston gangster who benefited from a corrupt relationship with the FBI before spending 16 years as one of America's most wanted men, has died in After the 1986 RICO indictment of Angiulo and his associates, the Patriarca family's Boston operations were in a shambles. He was one of the most infamous criminals to ever be killed behind bars. BOSTON (AP) A funeral Mass was held in Boston Thursday for notorious gangster James ''Whitey'' Bulger, who was killed last week hours after he arrived at a troubled . [citation needed], In the summer of 1991, Bulger and Weeks, along with associates Patrick and Michael Linskey, came into possession of a winning Massachusetts Lottery ticket which had been bought at a store he owned. [31], In 1956, Bulger served his first term in federal prison at Atlanta Penitentiary for armed robbery and truck hijacking. The Florida Commission on Offender Review voted 2-1 in favor of releasing John . "[82], Bulger's companion during his years as a fugitive was his longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig (born April 3, 1951), who was nearly 22 years his junior. Whitey would show up during the . Bulger's life had many women - and not just Lindsay Cyr, whose affair with Bulger produced a son, Douglas Glenn Cyr, in 1967. The 89-year-old was discovered unresponsive at the maximum security facility shortly . [111] Correctional officers had warned Congress just days before the most recent Hazelton death that facilities were being dangerously understaffed. Those guys have been giving up everyone for thirty years. [118] In January 2022, U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey dismissed the lawsuit, ruling federal law did not allow his family the right to sue Bureau of Prisons (BOP) officials because Congress expressly puts custody of inmates in the hands of the BOP, and "has repeatedly limited judicial authority to review BOP housing decisions and to entertain claims brought by prisoners. In 1943, 14-year-old Bulger was arrested and charged with larceny. There is simply no other explanation for the transfer of someone in his condition and inmate status to be placed in the general population of one of the country's most violent federal penitentiaries. [79], Immediately after being brought back to Boston, Bulger began talking to authorities. [120], Bulger had two younger brothers, William Michael "Billy" Bulger (born 1934) and John "Jackie" P. Bulger (born 1938). Later in his sentence, he was transferred to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary and, in 1963, to Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary. "[119], On August 18, 2022, three men were indicted in connection with the beating death of Bulger: Fotios Geas, Paul J. DeCologero, and Sean McKinnon. Three men, including a Mafia hitman, have been charged in the 2018 prison killing of notorious Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday. [4] Bulger provided information about the inner workings of the Patriarca crime family, his Italian-American Mafia rivals based in Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. Michael Donahue, a friend of Halloran's from Dorchester, incidentally ran into him at the restaurant. [35]:167, It would not be until the 1999 cooperation of Weeks that Bulger, by then a fugitive, was conclusively linked to the drug trade by investigators. "His murder would have been an attack on the system, like attacking freedom of the press, the fabric of the American way of life, and they would have spared no expense to solve the crime. On June 12, 2012, she was sentenced to eight years in federal prison. Connolly allegedly said that the FBI could help in Bulger's feud with Patriarca underboss Gennaro Angiulo. "[35]:58 Litif responded that, as Bulger was his friend, he had nothing to worry about. And Jimmy saw it. The four men shared a prize of around US$14million. The campaign focused on Greig, describing her as an animal lover who frequently went to beauty salons. He pleaded not guilty to 48 charges, including 19 counts of murder, extortion, money laundering, obstruction of justice, perjury, narcotics distribution and weapons violations. [43]:5 Three years later, Bulger partnered with Flemmi, an Italian-American mobster who had been an FBI informant since 1965. "[35]:55 "[Louie] had always been a major moneymaker for Jimmy. [28][29][30] Their first child, James Joseph Bulger Jr., was born in 1929. The death of the infamous mob boss is being treated as murder. After arriving at the scene, Weeks staked out the Anthony's Pier 4 restaurant, where Halloran was dining. [16] On August 12, Bulger was found guilty on 31 counts, including both racketeering charges, and was found to have been involved in eleven murders. Nee arranged for the dispute to be mediated by Winter and Joseph Russo, caporegime of the Patriarca crime family in Rhode Island. His eyes had nearly been gouged out and his tongue almost cut off;[108][109][110] a law enforcement official described Bulger as "unrecognizable". [16] The racketeering counts included allegations that Bulger was complicit in 19 murders. Even when there were 400 people in the bar, you always knew Louie was there. This was caused by several factors. He wanted another opportunity to "finish the job," but Bulger advised him to forget about Howie Carr. Bulger, realizing he was on the losing side, secretly approached Howie Winter, the leader of the Winter Hill Gang, and claimed he could end the war by murdering the Killeen leadership. [85] The body of Paul McGonagle, of whom Greig's sister Margaret was a widow, lay hidden and buried for 25 years on Tenean Beach in Dorchester. No more warnings. You're no longer just a bookmaker. James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger was the boss of the largely Irish Mob in Boston from the 1970s through the 1990s. Among them was the trio's fear of wiretaps and policy of never discussing their business over the telephone or in vehicles. Part of me does [still love him]. She worked as a dental hygienist. [45], "As a criminal, he made a point of only preying upon criminals And when things couldn't be worked out to his satisfaction with these people, after all the other options had been explored, he wouldn't hesitate to use violence. Carr has been among the most aggressive critics of the Bulger brothers, Whitey and Billy, for their careers in the Boston area; among his works is the book The Brothers Bulger, detailing the Bulger brothers' 25-year period of controlling Boston politics and the Boston underworld. But, Connolly told me, he had to put Jimmy's name on the files to keep his file active. [5][6][7] Beginning in 1997, press reports exposed various instances of criminal misconduct by federal, state, and local officials with ties to Bulger, causing embarrassment to several government agencies, especially to The victim never testified, and all law enforcement documents were redacted of his full name; law enforcement had hoped he would cooperate fully and then go into witness protection. The disappearance of four young men took the media by storm, and it soon became a national headline. BBC News looks at the Irish American's links to the. But Jimmy and I usually ended up laughing at most of the news stories, as time and time again the media had it wrong, over and over again holding to their pledge to never let the truth get in the way of a good story. However, Connolly failed to win Bulger's trust. [16] The trial lasted two months and included the testimony of 72 witnesses; the jury began deliberations August 6. Bulger reminisced fondly about his time hiding out with a family in Louisiana. Tommy, who was a Mullins, made a fist. [75][76] The Boston Globe identified the tipster as Anna Bjrnsdttir, a former model, actress, and Miss Iceland 1974, who lived in Bulger's neighborhood. It was Donald. Weeks also said that Bulger enforced strict rules over the dealers who operated on his territory,[35]:156 strictly forbidding the use of PCP and selling drugs to children,[35]:179 adding that those dealers who refused to play by his rules were violently driven out of his turf. ET): Sean McKinnon was one of three men indicted on Thursday in Whitey Bulger's death. it had been bullshit when Connolly told me that the files hadn't been disseminated, that they had been for his own personal use. [citation needed] After meeting with IRA Chief of Staff Joe Cahill, Bulger and Nee raised $1million (equivalent to $2.61million in 2021) "by shaking down drug dealers in South Boston and Charlestown". According to retired FBI agent Scott Bakken, "Here you have somebody who is far more sophisticated than some 18-year-old who killed someone in a drive-by. He is suspected in slaying of US mobster Whitey Bulger", "Funeral Mass held for James 'Whitey' Bulger in South Boston", "Photos: 'Whitey' Bulger's funeral in South Boston", "Whitey Bulger's family filing wrongful death suit against DOJ", "Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Bureau of Prisons filed by family of Whitey Bulger", "UMass Chooses a Political Executive: The Politics of a Presidential Search", Transcript of William Bulger's congressional testimony, Romney Waged Battle to Oust Whitey Bulger's Brother, Embattled UMass President Says Goodbye to Students, "Bulger's ex-girlfriend talks about arrest", "Teresa Stanley, former Whitey moll, dies of lung cancer at 71", "Johnny Depp May Circle Back To Whitey Bulger Pic 'Black M The Playlist", "Who Should Play Whitey Bulger in Black Mass? [83] Greig grew up in Boston and had an identical twin sister, Margaret, and a younger brother, David. [31], In late August or early September 1974, Bulger and an accomplice reportedly set fire to an elementary school in Wellesley to intimidate U.S. District Court Judge Wendell Arthur Garrity Jr. over his mandated plan to desegregate schools in the city of Boston by means of busing. Bulger's father worked as a union laborer and occasional longshoreman; he lost his arm in an industrial accident[31]:48 and the family was reduced to poverty. The death certificate of Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger revealed that the notorious criminal died last year from "blunt force injuries of the head." The document obtained by Fox News. Bulger later complained that the inmates had been "recruited by deception" and were told they were helping to find "a cure for schizophrenia", when in fact they were being used to research mind control. Bulger was killed less than 12 hours after his transfer to the US Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia from another facility, according to the report. A couple days later Jimmy told me about the scene with the cop and was glad to hear how uncomfortable he had made Corsetti. [97] However, rumors circulated that the psychologist[citation needed] was too sympathetic to Bulger, and may even have allowed him to use her cell phone. [84] Before his 1987 death by drug overdose, McGonagle reportedly held Bulger responsible for the murders of his brothers, twins Donald and Paul McGonagle, who were killed in the fighting which occurred during the Mullen-Killeen gang war. I shot Donald.' On December 23, 1994, Bulger fled the Boston area and went into hiding after his former FBI handler, John Connolly, tipped him off . [74] Carmen Ortiz, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said "she believes the death penalty is not an option in the federal charges Bulger faces in her district, but that he could face the death penalty for two cases outside the district". Connolly confirmed Bulger's suspicions of McIntyre, leading Bulger and Flemmi to consider murdering McIntyre for his betrayal. [105] Bulger was also in poor health, as he was unable to walk and had a damaged hip, often falling out of bed. [35][36] Evidence of the experiments were later confirmed as CIA documentation emerged. Three men, including a mafia hitman, have been charged in the 2018 prison killing of the notorious Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger. And investigators narrowed in on suspects immediately after his shocking slaying in a . I would see, over and over again, that some of these people had been arrested for crimes that were mentioned in these reports. [108][112][113] Geas, 51, and his brother were sentenced to life in prison in 2011 for their roles in several violent crimes, including the 2003 killing of Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno, a Genovese crime family capo who was shot in a Springfield, Massachusetts parking lot. "[51]:194. If he'd told Jimmy that someone had driven him, he might have gotten a pass. "[122] He added: "while I worried about my brother, I now recognize that I didn't fully grasp the dimensions of his life. But it wouldn't have lasted long, since Jimmy had no intention of letting Louie run wild.[50]. Washington The prison death of notorious Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger less than 12 hours after he arrived at a West Virginia prison was precipitated by several factors inadequate. At the end of our dinner, he seemed more aware of everything around him. The final cache included "91 rifles, 8 submachine guns, 13 shotguns, 51 handguns, 11 bullet-proof vests, 70,000 rounds of ammunition, plus an array of hand grenades and rocket heads". Bulger who ruled Boston's criminal underground for more than 20 years and stayed on the run for another 16 before his capture was reportedly beaten to death within hours of his transfer from a Florida prison to the high-security penitentiary in West Virginia on Tuesday. [59], After fleeing Boston, Bulger and Stanley spent four days over Christmas in Selden, New York, before spending New Year's Day in a hotel in New Orleans's French Quarter. The subject that interests so many, the life and the activities of my brother James is painful and difficult for me. [31], In 1980, Bulger was approached in Triple O's by Louis Litif, a Lebanese-American neighborhood bookmaker. In June 2012, Greig pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor a fugitive, identity fraud, and conspiracy to commit identity fraud, receiving a sentence of eight years in prison. The last nickname came from his habit of wearing cowboy boots, which he used to hide a switchblade. [43]:135138. [86] Greig's younger brother David, a close associate of Bulger, was found shot dead on Cape Cod in an apparent suicide. "[35]:9091, In 1979, Winter was arrested, along with many members of his inner circle, on charges of fixing horse races. [48], In 1995, Bulger and Flemmi were indicted on racketeering charges along with two Boston mafiosi, Frank Salemme and Bobby DeLuca. [21][22][23] In 2022, Fotios Geas, Paul DeCologero and Sean McKinnon were charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in Bulger's death.[24][25][26]. [43]:6468, Bulger and Flemmi then took over the remnants of the Winter Hill Gang and used their status as informants to eliminate competition. In 1982, a South Boston cocaine dealer named Edward Brian Halloran, known on the streets as "Balloonhead", approached the FBI and stated that he had witnessed Bulger and Flemmi murdering Litif. Boston police detective Michael Flemmi, Stephen's brother, informed Weeks of the arrest. However, at that point, there was something different going on with him. Most of South Boston's cocaine and marijuana trafficking was under the control of a crew led by mobster John Shea. It is still unknown why Cosmo Dinardo and his accomplice Sean Kratz ended the lives of four men over marijuana deals, but there are some theories that can help explain why Dinardo devised his evil plan. William Bulger served in the military during the Korean War but was never posted to Korea. Bulger was allegedly bludgeoned to death in. The cause of his death was later indicated as Blunt force trauma. The plans climaxed with Weeks' own attempt to shoot Carr with a sniper rifle as he came out of his house. Three men were charged Thursday in connection with the 2018 death of notorious mobster James "Whitey" Bulger, federal prosecutors announced. Even after he retired, Connolly still had friends in the FBI, and he and Jimmy kept meeting to let each other know what was going on. Bulger, the ruthless leader who was at the helm of the South Boston-based Winter Hill Gang, was convicted in 2013 for his involvement in a slew of crimes, including 11 murders. [31], Weeks stated that, although several plans were considered, all were abandoned because there was too much risk of injuring Carr's wife and children. No question about it. Halloran lived long enough to identify his attacker as Bulger associate James Flynn, who was later tried and acquitted. I have not aided James Bulger in any way while he has been a fugitive. Known as one of the nation's most notorious criminals and fugitives, Bulger - nicknamed "Whitey" for his bright platinum hair - was the head of a violent South Boston crime ring known as . For example, one murder was of Whitey's partner's exgirlfriend. [87], Greig had been wanted by the FBI since 1999. [83] He was from a family that led the Mullen Gang and was injured during a mob gunfight in 1969. [101] Prosecutors in Florida and Oklahoma announced after Bulger's conviction that they would wait until after sentencing concluded before deciding whether or not to prosecute Bulger in their states. However, the nickname "Whitey" stuck. It was the morning of 30 October 2018 when Bulger - who had arrived at the federal prison just 12 hours earlier - was beaten to death with a heavy padlock inside a sock. Died: October 30, 2018 in a federal prison in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia Nicknames: Whitey, numerous aliases Associates: Winter Hill Gang, Patriarca Family, the FBI. Police officers found the employee hanging from a beef rack, having been severely tortured and held for more than six days. Bulger and the Killeens fled Boston, fearing they would be next. On July 7, 1996, a federal grand jury in Boston returned a 29-count indictment against Bulger and four other leaders of the Winter Hill Gang and the Patriarca Family; Bulger was indicted on 13 counts of racketeering. Senate president: A mix of family, Southie, power", "Ancestry offers Whitey and Billy Bulger", "Boston Crime Boss James 'Whitey' Bulger Wanted for Murder", "The CIA's Secret Quest For Mind Control: Torture, LSD And A 'Poisoner In Chief', The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War, "I-Team: Whitey Bulger's Notebook Chronicles LSD Prison Testing", "Whitey bulger: i was a guinea pig for cia drug experiments", "Gangster's Life Lures Host of Storytellers", "Bulger linked to '70s antibusing attack", "New Book Offers Glimpse Into 'Whitey' Bulger's Early Years", "Gerard O'Neill, Boston Globe Investigative Reporter, Dies at 76", "A Voice for Those Silenced in a Mobster's Reign", Former State Police Lieutenant Convicted Of Obstruction, "Mob underling's tale of guns, drugs, fear", "Mike Barnicle: The best friend a gangster could have: When Whitey Bulger was at the peak of his power, he could always count on a friendly columnist to do his P.R. [52] Thomas Donahue, who was eight years old when his father was murdered, has become a spokesman for the families of those allegedly murdered by the Winter Hill Gang. "[35]:261, In the aftermath, Weeks decided to cut a deal with federal prosecutors and revealed where almost every penny was stashed and every body was buried. The jury acquitted Bulger of killing Michael Milano, Al Plummer, William O'Brien, James O'Toole, Al Notorangeli, James Sousa and Francis Leonard. Bulger was able to begin taking part in counseling with a prison psychologist at the Tucson facility. Born: September 3, 1929, Boston, Mass. "People say Bulger liked to visit Santa Monica Pier", "Calif. cop: I knew he was here all along! After the 1972 truce, Bulger and the Mullens were in control of South Boston's criminal underworld. However, when Carr came out the front door holding the hand of his young daughter, Weeks could not bring himself to shoot. If there was some investigation going on and his supervisor said, 'Let me take a look at that,' what was Connolly going to do? They stepped into the power vacuum and took over the leadership of the Winter Hill Gang, transferring its headquarters to the Lancaster Street Garage in Boston's West End, near the Boston Garden. In a sit-down at Chandler's nightclub in Boston's South End, the Mullens were represented by Nee and King, and the Killeens by Bulger. They also liked to describe me as, 'Whitey's surrogate son', another example of the media putting labels on people they wrote about. On September 13, 1984, Bulger, Weeks and Nee supervised the loading of Valhalla. Infamous Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger has been found dead in a US federal prison in West Virginia. After his release, Bulger worked as a janitor and construction worker before becoming a bookmaker and loan shark under mobster Donald Killeen, whose gang, The Killeens, had dominated South Boston for over twenty years. However, the verdict was overturned on appeal due to the late filing of the claims.