Whitey Bulger: Difference between revisions

Line 13:

'''James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger''' (September 3<sup>rd</sup>, 1929 - October 30<sup>th</sup>, 2018) was probably the most infamous Irish-American mob boss in American history and at one point, second on the FBI's Most Wanted List behind [[Osama bin Laden]]. He took over the Winter Hill gang in South Boston, Massachusetts after being released from Alcatraz prison in the 1960s. During his prison sentence in the 1950s and 60s, he was subject to LSD experiments by the CIA to test mind control, giving him night terrors for the rest of his life. He was convicted on 19 counts of murder. His criminal history was the subject of the 2015 film ''Black Mass'' in which he was portrayed by veteran actor Johnny Depp.

Unlike most mobsters, Bulger was an informant to the FBI, an act despised by many mobsters. Corrupt agent John Connolly, also an Irish American, constantly tipped Bulger off about police and FBI bugs, wiretaps and other important information. His younger brother William "Billy" Bulger was also President of the Massachusetts State Senate until he was dismissed due to his connections. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Bulger and his associates operated rackets throughout eastern Massachusetts including extortion, loansharking, bookmaking, truck hijackings and arms trafficking. He killed anyone who ran afoul of him, including Louis Litif, a Lebanese-American bookmaker who didn’t seek Bulger’s approval and would also kill associates of fellow mobsters or their enemies (i.e their spouses). State and federal agencies were repeatedly stymied in their attempts to build cases against Bulger and his inner circle. This was caused by several factors. Among them was Bulger's fear of wiretaps and policy of never discussing business over the telephone or in the car. Other reasons were South Boston's code of silence, and corruption within the Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the FBI. Although Connolly was Bulger's most infamous source inside law enforcement, his associate Kevin Weeks has stated that Massachusetts State Police Lt. Richard J. Schneiderhan, the crew's only source inside that agency, was valued more highly.

Unlike most mobsters, Bulger was an informant to the FBI, an act despised by many mobsters. Corrupt agent John Connolly, also an Irish American, constantly tipped Bulger off about police and FBI bugs, wiretaps and other important information. His younger brother William "Billy" Bulger was also President of the Massachusetts State Senate until he was dismissed due to his connections. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Bulger and his associates operated rackets throughout eastern Massachusetts including extortion, loansharking, bookmaking, truck hijackings and arms trafficking. He killed anyone who ran afoul of him, including Louis Litif, a Lebanese-American bookmaker who didn’t seek Bulger’s approval and would also kill associates of fellow mobsters or their enemies (i.e their spouses). He would often order his associates to bury their victims under the floorboards. State and federal agencies were repeatedly stymied in their attempts to build cases against Bulger and his inner circle. This was caused by several factors. Among them was Bulger's fear of wiretaps and policy of never discussing business over the telephone or in the car. Other reasons were South Boston's code of silence, and corruption within the Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the FBI. Although Connolly was Bulger's most infamous source inside law enforcement, his associate Kevin Weeks has stated that Massachusetts State Police Lt. Richard J. Schneiderhan, the crew's only source inside that agency, was valued more highly.

Bulger sold weapons to the [[Irish Republican Army]] during [[the Troubles]] in Northern Ireland, as he was sympathetic to their cause.

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 '''James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger''' (September 3<sup>rd</sup>, 1929 - October 30<sup>th</sup>, 2018) was probably the most infamous Irish-American mob boss in American history and at one point, second on the FBI's Most Wanted List behind [[Osama bin Laden]]. He took over the Winter Hill gang in South Boston, Massachusetts after being released from Alcatraz prison in the 1960s. During his prison sentence in the 1950s and 60s, he was subject to LSD experiments by the CIA to test mind control, giving him night terrors for the rest of his life. He was convicted on 19 counts of murder. His criminal history was the subject of the 2015 film ''Black Mass'' in which he was portrayed by veteran actor Johnny Depp.
-Unlike most mobsters, Bulger was an informant to the FBI, an act despised by many mobsters. Corrupt agent John Connolly, also an Irish American, constantly tipped Bulger off about police and FBI bugs, wiretaps and other important information. His younger brother William "Billy" Bulger was also President of the Massachusetts State Senate until he was dismissed due to his connections. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Bulger and his associates operated rackets throughout eastern Massachusetts including extortion, loansharking, bookmaking, truck hijackings and arms trafficking. He killed anyone who ran afoul of him, including Louis Litif, a Lebanese-American bookmaker who didn’t seek Bulger’s approval and would also kill associates of fellow mobsters or their enemies (i.e their spouses). State and federal agencies were repeatedly stymied in their attempts to build cases against Bulger and his inner circle. This was caused by several factors. Among them was Bulger's fear of wiretaps and policy of never discussing business over the telephone or in the car. Other reasons were South Boston's code of silence, and corruption within the Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the FBI. Although Connolly was Bulger's most infamous source inside law enforcement, his associate Kevin Weeks has stated that Massachusetts State Police Lt. Richard J. Schneiderhan, the crew's only source inside that agency, was valued more highly.
+Unlike most mobsters, Bulger was an informant to the FBI, an act despised by many mobsters. Corrupt agent John Connolly, also an Irish American, constantly tipped Bulger off about police and FBI bugs, wiretaps and other important information. His younger brother William "Billy" Bulger was also President of the Massachusetts State Senate until he was dismissed due to his connections. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Bulger and his associates operated rackets throughout eastern Massachusetts including extortion, loansharking, bookmaking, truck hijackings and arms trafficking. He killed anyone who ran afoul of him, including Louis Litif, a Lebanese-American bookmaker who didn’t seek Bulger’s approval and would also kill associates of fellow mobsters or their enemies (i.e their spouses). He would often order his associates to bury their victims under the floorboards. State and federal agencies were repeatedly stymied in their attempts to build cases against Bulger and his inner circle. This was caused by several factors. Among them was Bulger's fear of wiretaps and policy of never discussing business over the telephone or in the car. Other reasons were South Boston's code of silence, and corruption within the Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the FBI. Although Connolly was Bulger's most infamous source inside law enforcement, his associate Kevin Weeks has stated that Massachusetts State Police Lt. Richard J. Schneiderhan, the crew's only source inside that agency, was valued more highly.
 Bulger sold weapons to the [[Irish Republican Army]] during [[the Troubles]] in Northern Ireland, as he was sympathetic to their cause.