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James Joseph Bulger (born on September 3, 1929) is a wanted fugitive and alleged leader, along with fellow mobster Stephen Flemmi, of the Winter Hill Gang, an Irish American organized crime group operating in the area of Boston, Massachusetts. He is the brother of William Michael "Billy" Bulger who rose to become President of the Massachusetts State Senate and president of the University of Massachusetts. Bulger became known by the nickname "Whitey" and was rising in the ranks of his mob.
On August 19, 1999 Bulger became the 458th Ten Most Wanted fugitive listed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and as such he currently remains wanted for racketeering (under the "RICO" act), murder, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit extortion, narcotics distribution, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering and extortion.
[edit] Early life
Bulger was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts to parents that were the children of Irish immigrants. When he was a small child, his parents moved to South Boston, Massachusetts, a neighborhood he would later rule with an iron fist. As a juvenile he was a member of the Shamrocks street gang. After serving several years with the United States Air Force, he returned to Boston and turned to armed robbery.
[edit] Criminal career
He was later convicted on bank robbery charges and spent time in federal penitentiaries in Atlanta, GA, Lewisburg, PA, and at Alcatraz before being released in 1965. Bulger described Alcatraz as "a living hell" and spoke frequently of LSD tests he participated in there in exchange for a reduced sentence. Stephen Flemmi later described these claims as "bullshit". After a brief stint as a janitor, Bulger returned to the criminal life. He became an enforcer for the South Boston crime family bossed by Donald Killeen and served him in a turf war against the rival Mullen gang. After Howie Winter of the Winter Hill Gang mediated their dispute, the two gangs joined forces with Winter as overall boss.[1]
[edit] The informant
Shortly thereafter, Whitey became partners with Stephen Flemmi, a longtime FBI informant. Although it is a documented fact that Bulger soon followed Flemmi's example, exactly how and why he became an informant remains controversial.
Special Agent John Connolly frequently boasted to his fellow agents about how he had recruited Bulger at a late night beachfront meeting inside Connolly's car. Author Howie Carr writes that Bulger had been an off the books informant since his teenaged years and that, like Flemmi, he had been recruited by Special Agent H. Paul Rico. However, Kevin Weeks—Bulger's surrogate son—considers it more likely that Stephen Flemmi had helped build a Federal case against him. He writes of his belief that Bulger was offered a choice between supplying information and returning to prison.
Whatever the truth, Bulger used his charisma in order to turn his status with the FBI to his own advantage. Special Agent Connolly, who was assigned to monitor him, soon grew to revere Bulger and viewed him like an older brother. According to Federal prosecutors, Connolly became, for all intents and purposes, a member of Bulger's organization, supplying him with information about investigations and even funneling bribes to at least one other agent.
[edit] Boston's Irish Godfather
When Howie Winter and most of his organization's leadership were arrested for fixing horse races in 1979, the FBI persuaded Federal prosecutors to drop all charges against Bulger and Flemmi. Bulger and Flemmi then took over the remnants of the Winter Hill Gang and used their status as informants to eliminate competition.
The information they supplied to the FBI in subsequent years was responsible for the imprisonment of several Bulger associates whom Bulger viewed as a threat. But the main victim of their relationship with the Federal Government was the Italian-American Patriarca crime family, which was based in the North End, Boston and in Federal Hill, Providence. Bulger and Flemmi manipulated the ensuing vacuum to consolidate their control of illicit gambling and drug trafficking in and around Boston.
[edit] Personality
Bulger and his associates were looked up to and revered by several generations of South Boston youth. Those who have worked for him describe him as a benevolent but ruthless father figure who took very few steps without carefully considering all possible consequences.
One former associate has described him as follows, "The more work I did for Whitey, the better I liked it. If I received a rare smile from the man, an extra bonus for a job well done, that could keep me going for days. I loved to listen to his theories about the great military strategists of the world - like Alexander the Great, Caesar, Maximus, Patton, MacArthur - and how they moved deliberately, evaluating every possible move before acting. Nothing could match the high of standing next to the king of South Boston. I did everything I could to win his praise and respect."[2]
In spite of his ruthless nature, he was known to purchase Thanksgiving turkeys for South Boston's poor.
Kevin Weeks describes him further as a man who, like many mobsters, lived by a moral code which he had created for himself. For example, he allowed drug dealers to operate in South Boston only as long as they paid him his "cut" and did not sell heroin or PCP. According to Bulger's reasoning, a cocaine addict can still function, while heroin addicts "become zombies."
Weeks also describing the first time he saw Bulger - "He was so malevolent, he just slithered by. I couldn't help but stare."
He watched very little television besides The History Channel and was fond of reading books, especially true crime and military history. He did not drink, smoke, or use drugs.
Bulger didn't speak with the typical South Boston accent. According to retired DEA agent Mike Swidwinski, "He kind of had what I'd call a normal accent. There were times when he'd raise his voice and you could almost see the smoke coming out of his nostrils... He pretty much spoke with authority."[3]
According to The Brothers Bulger[2] by Howie Carr, Whitey had a mania for anally penetrating both males and females; owned a number of gay bars and strip clubs where he picked up his sexual partners; had constructed a room with one-way mirrors where he had sex, or watched while others had sex; and took his vacations in Provincetown.
[edit] The fugitive
After being warned by Agent John Connolly that he was about to be indicted, Bulger, along with his longtime mistress Catherine Greig, fled prosecution in 1995. Shortly thereafter, Whitey's longtime confidant Kevin Weeks, horrified by the revelation that Bulger and Flemmi had been ratting on their own underlings, cut a deal with Federal prosecutors. Weeks knew where almost every penny and body was buried. Whitey Bulger is currently on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list and a reward for US $1 million is being offered for information leading to his capture.
The last confirmed sighting of Bulger was in London in 2002, though in late July 2005, FBI agents were sent to Uruguay to investigate a lead. FBI Agents were also sent to investigate the 60th Memorial of the Battle of Normandy celebrations since Bulger is such an avid World War II enthusiast.
There was also an unofficial sighting by a law enforcement officer at the United Artists theater in Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego, California on October 6, 2006 on the opening day of The Departed. In The Departed, the character Frank Costello, played by Jack Nicholson, is based on Bulger.[4]
[edit] Family
Bulger cohabitated for more than thirty years with Theresa Stanley, a South Boston woman with several children. Bulger bought her an expensive house in suburban Quincy, Massachusetts and acted as father to her children while commuting to "work" in South Boston. Like many mobsters, however, he was frequently unfaithful to her with a host of other women and was often absent overseeing the running of his organization. Theresa Stanley has stated that she is planning to publish her memoirs.
Bulger is the older brother of John "Jackie" Bulger, a retired Massachusetts court clerk magistrate who was convicted in April 2003 of perjury to two grand juries regarding testimony he gave about contact with Whitey. Another brother is William "Billy" Bulger, former president of both the Massachusetts State Senate and, after that, the University of Massachusetts. In testimony before Congress, Billy Bulger admitted to speaking to his brother after he fled [3]. As fall-out from those remarks, Billy was forced to resign, by Governor Mitt Romney, as president of the University of Massachusetts in 2003.
[edit] Urban legends
Due to Bulger's tendency to remain a mystery even to those closest to him, a number of urban legends have grown up around his rise and fall, especially since he was revealed to have been an FBI informant.
According to the book "Black Mass" by Boston Globe writers Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill, Bulger once extorted a winning lottery ticket from the real winner, who had purchased the ticket at one of his stores.
Bulger is alleged to have been a predatory bisexual by persistent rumor. Author Howie Carr writes that a teenage Bulger worked as a male prostitute in Boston's gay bars. He further states that Bulger's acquaintance with mobbed up FBI agent H. Paul Rico dates from this time. Rico, who according to Carr was a closet homosexual, allegedly recruited Bulger as an informant after meeting him in a gay bar.
Longtime Bulger friend and confidant Kevin Weeks, however, insists that there is no truth to this. "All the stuff and rumors that questioned Jimmy's sexuality were lies spread by the media. He had more women than Hugh Hefner. Guys like Donald Trump weren't even in his league. Whenever we went out to bars and clubs, women of all ages were after him. 'Variety is the spice of life,' he'd say as he enjoyed all of them."[5]
[edit] In popular culture
Characters based on Bulger have appeared on Law and Order and a number of other television programs. He is also the inspiration for the ruthless mob boss Frank Costello, who is played by Jack Nicholson in Martin Scorsese's 2006 film The Departed. In late 2006, Bulger was reportedly spotted in a San Diego movie theater leaving a showing of the movie. However, investigators have not confirmed this sighting as an official spotting of Bulger.
In addition, the television gangster drama Brotherhood (Showtime), which is inspired by Bulger's rumored alliance with his politician brother Billy, debuted in 2006. A character based on Bulger, named Michael Caffee, is portrayed by British actor Jason Isaacs.
[edit] Press relations
Author Howie Carr provides an explanation in his book The Brothers Bulger on why the press failed to more vigorously pursue Whitey. When Boston Herald reporter Paul Corsetti began looking into Whitey's possible involvement in a gangland murder, he ran into a stranger in a bar. The stranger told Corsetti, "I'm Jimmy Bulger and I kill people," and pulled out a piece of paper from which he recited Corsetti's address in Medford; the make, model, and license number of his family's cars; and information about Corsetti's preschool daughter's day care. This incident caused Corsetti to wear a .38-caliber revolver to work, and discouraged the Boston media from investigating Bulger again for a number of years.[6]
In addition, many columnists, especially those working for The Boston Globe, were friendly towards Billy Bulger and downplayed Whitey's criminal enterprises, portraying the gangster as a latter-day 'Robin Hood,' who kept drugs out of South Boston.
According to former associate Kevin Weeks, Whitey was highly fond of reading the newspapers and laughing hysterically at all they got wrong in their coverage of him. "The Boston press is not known for its accuracy," he was fond of saying, "and they never let the truth get in the way of a good story." [7]
On August 19, 1999 Bulger became the 458th Ten Most Wanted fugitive listed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and as such he currently remains wanted for racketeering (under the "RICO" act), murder, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit extortion, narcotics distribution, money laundering, conspiracy to commit money laundering and extortion.
[edit] Early life
Bulger was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts to parents that were the children of Irish immigrants. When he was a small child, his parents moved to South Boston, Massachusetts, a neighborhood he would later rule with an iron fist. As a juvenile he was a member of the Shamrocks street gang. After serving several years with the United States Air Force, he returned to Boston and turned to armed robbery.
[edit] Criminal career
He was later convicted on bank robbery charges and spent time in federal penitentiaries in Atlanta, GA, Lewisburg, PA, and at Alcatraz before being released in 1965. Bulger described Alcatraz as "a living hell" and spoke frequently of LSD tests he participated in there in exchange for a reduced sentence. Stephen Flemmi later described these claims as "bullshit". After a brief stint as a janitor, Bulger returned to the criminal life. He became an enforcer for the South Boston crime family bossed by Donald Killeen and served him in a turf war against the rival Mullen gang. After Howie Winter of the Winter Hill Gang mediated their dispute, the two gangs joined forces with Winter as overall boss.[1]
[edit] The informant
Shortly thereafter, Whitey became partners with Stephen Flemmi, a longtime FBI informant. Although it is a documented fact that Bulger soon followed Flemmi's example, exactly how and why he became an informant remains controversial.
Special Agent John Connolly frequently boasted to his fellow agents about how he had recruited Bulger at a late night beachfront meeting inside Connolly's car. Author Howie Carr writes that Bulger had been an off the books informant since his teenaged years and that, like Flemmi, he had been recruited by Special Agent H. Paul Rico. However, Kevin Weeks—Bulger's surrogate son—considers it more likely that Stephen Flemmi had helped build a Federal case against him. He writes of his belief that Bulger was offered a choice between supplying information and returning to prison.
Whatever the truth, Bulger used his charisma in order to turn his status with the FBI to his own advantage. Special Agent Connolly, who was assigned to monitor him, soon grew to revere Bulger and viewed him like an older brother. According to Federal prosecutors, Connolly became, for all intents and purposes, a member of Bulger's organization, supplying him with information about investigations and even funneling bribes to at least one other agent.
[edit] Boston's Irish Godfather
When Howie Winter and most of his organization's leadership were arrested for fixing horse races in 1979, the FBI persuaded Federal prosecutors to drop all charges against Bulger and Flemmi. Bulger and Flemmi then took over the remnants of the Winter Hill Gang and used their status as informants to eliminate competition.
The information they supplied to the FBI in subsequent years was responsible for the imprisonment of several Bulger associates whom Bulger viewed as a threat. But the main victim of their relationship with the Federal Government was the Italian-American Patriarca crime family, which was based in the North End, Boston and in Federal Hill, Providence. Bulger and Flemmi manipulated the ensuing vacuum to consolidate their control of illicit gambling and drug trafficking in and around Boston.
[edit] Personality
Bulger and his associates were looked up to and revered by several generations of South Boston youth. Those who have worked for him describe him as a benevolent but ruthless father figure who took very few steps without carefully considering all possible consequences.
One former associate has described him as follows, "The more work I did for Whitey, the better I liked it. If I received a rare smile from the man, an extra bonus for a job well done, that could keep me going for days. I loved to listen to his theories about the great military strategists of the world - like Alexander the Great, Caesar, Maximus, Patton, MacArthur - and how they moved deliberately, evaluating every possible move before acting. Nothing could match the high of standing next to the king of South Boston. I did everything I could to win his praise and respect."[2]
In spite of his ruthless nature, he was known to purchase Thanksgiving turkeys for South Boston's poor.
Kevin Weeks describes him further as a man who, like many mobsters, lived by a moral code which he had created for himself. For example, he allowed drug dealers to operate in South Boston only as long as they paid him his "cut" and did not sell heroin or PCP. According to Bulger's reasoning, a cocaine addict can still function, while heroin addicts "become zombies."
Weeks also describing the first time he saw Bulger - "He was so malevolent, he just slithered by. I couldn't help but stare."
He watched very little television besides The History Channel and was fond of reading books, especially true crime and military history. He did not drink, smoke, or use drugs.
Bulger didn't speak with the typical South Boston accent. According to retired DEA agent Mike Swidwinski, "He kind of had what I'd call a normal accent. There were times when he'd raise his voice and you could almost see the smoke coming out of his nostrils... He pretty much spoke with authority."[3]
According to The Brothers Bulger[2] by Howie Carr, Whitey had a mania for anally penetrating both males and females; owned a number of gay bars and strip clubs where he picked up his sexual partners; had constructed a room with one-way mirrors where he had sex, or watched while others had sex; and took his vacations in Provincetown.
[edit] The fugitive
After being warned by Agent John Connolly that he was about to be indicted, Bulger, along with his longtime mistress Catherine Greig, fled prosecution in 1995. Shortly thereafter, Whitey's longtime confidant Kevin Weeks, horrified by the revelation that Bulger and Flemmi had been ratting on their own underlings, cut a deal with Federal prosecutors. Weeks knew where almost every penny and body was buried. Whitey Bulger is currently on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list and a reward for US $1 million is being offered for information leading to his capture.
The last confirmed sighting of Bulger was in London in 2002, though in late July 2005, FBI agents were sent to Uruguay to investigate a lead. FBI Agents were also sent to investigate the 60th Memorial of the Battle of Normandy celebrations since Bulger is such an avid World War II enthusiast.
There was also an unofficial sighting by a law enforcement officer at the United Artists theater in Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego, California on October 6, 2006 on the opening day of The Departed. In The Departed, the character Frank Costello, played by Jack Nicholson, is based on Bulger.[4]
[edit] Family
Bulger cohabitated for more than thirty years with Theresa Stanley, a South Boston woman with several children. Bulger bought her an expensive house in suburban Quincy, Massachusetts and acted as father to her children while commuting to "work" in South Boston. Like many mobsters, however, he was frequently unfaithful to her with a host of other women and was often absent overseeing the running of his organization. Theresa Stanley has stated that she is planning to publish her memoirs.
Bulger is the older brother of John "Jackie" Bulger, a retired Massachusetts court clerk magistrate who was convicted in April 2003 of perjury to two grand juries regarding testimony he gave about contact with Whitey. Another brother is William "Billy" Bulger, former president of both the Massachusetts State Senate and, after that, the University of Massachusetts. In testimony before Congress, Billy Bulger admitted to speaking to his brother after he fled [3]. As fall-out from those remarks, Billy was forced to resign, by Governor Mitt Romney, as president of the University of Massachusetts in 2003.
[edit] Urban legends
Due to Bulger's tendency to remain a mystery even to those closest to him, a number of urban legends have grown up around his rise and fall, especially since he was revealed to have been an FBI informant.
According to the book "Black Mass" by Boston Globe writers Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill, Bulger once extorted a winning lottery ticket from the real winner, who had purchased the ticket at one of his stores.
Bulger is alleged to have been a predatory bisexual by persistent rumor. Author Howie Carr writes that a teenage Bulger worked as a male prostitute in Boston's gay bars. He further states that Bulger's acquaintance with mobbed up FBI agent H. Paul Rico dates from this time. Rico, who according to Carr was a closet homosexual, allegedly recruited Bulger as an informant after meeting him in a gay bar.
Longtime Bulger friend and confidant Kevin Weeks, however, insists that there is no truth to this. "All the stuff and rumors that questioned Jimmy's sexuality were lies spread by the media. He had more women than Hugh Hefner. Guys like Donald Trump weren't even in his league. Whenever we went out to bars and clubs, women of all ages were after him. 'Variety is the spice of life,' he'd say as he enjoyed all of them."[5]
[edit] In popular culture
Characters based on Bulger have appeared on Law and Order and a number of other television programs. He is also the inspiration for the ruthless mob boss Frank Costello, who is played by Jack Nicholson in Martin Scorsese's 2006 film The Departed. In late 2006, Bulger was reportedly spotted in a San Diego movie theater leaving a showing of the movie. However, investigators have not confirmed this sighting as an official spotting of Bulger.
In addition, the television gangster drama Brotherhood (Showtime), which is inspired by Bulger's rumored alliance with his politician brother Billy, debuted in 2006. A character based on Bulger, named Michael Caffee, is portrayed by British actor Jason Isaacs.
[edit] Press relations
Author Howie Carr provides an explanation in his book The Brothers Bulger on why the press failed to more vigorously pursue Whitey. When Boston Herald reporter Paul Corsetti began looking into Whitey's possible involvement in a gangland murder, he ran into a stranger in a bar. The stranger told Corsetti, "I'm Jimmy Bulger and I kill people," and pulled out a piece of paper from which he recited Corsetti's address in Medford; the make, model, and license number of his family's cars; and information about Corsetti's preschool daughter's day care. This incident caused Corsetti to wear a .38-caliber revolver to work, and discouraged the Boston media from investigating Bulger again for a number of years.[6]
In addition, many columnists, especially those working for The Boston Globe, were friendly towards Billy Bulger and downplayed Whitey's criminal enterprises, portraying the gangster as a latter-day 'Robin Hood,' who kept drugs out of South Boston.
According to former associate Kevin Weeks, Whitey was highly fond of reading the newspapers and laughing hysterically at all they got wrong in their coverage of him. "The Boston press is not known for its accuracy," he was fond of saying, "and they never let the truth get in the way of a good story." [7]
