Netflix is now streaming Black massA crime drama with a star-studded lineup. Black mass‘ cast features Johnny Depp, Kevin Bacon and a host of other high-profile actors. Bulger himself, along with his associates, was reportedly not a fan of the movie (Boston Magazine). However, Johnny Depp’s real-life gangster role was highly praised, despite his Black mass Oscar snub. The Movie delves into the controversial alliance or “Devil’s Deal” Between notorious gangster Whitey Bulger and FBI agent John Connolly.
Released from prison in the 1960s, Bulger returned to Boston and Established a powerful criminal empire. Connolly, a native of South Boston, struck a deal with Bulger to help him dismantle the Italian Mafia. Black mass is based on the book of the same name. The authors, two veteran Boston reporters Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill, explained that it is “A metaphor for the FBI’s corruption, with Bulger as the devil,” (Boston). The “mass” Some may also refer to Massachusetts. A former associate of Bulger says that the Black mass Movie made him “Sick to his stomach,” Due to how it compared to the book.
Jacob “Whitey” Bulger was the crime boss who led the Winter Hill Gang
Whitey led the gang which, among other crimes, helped arm the IRA
James “Whitey” Bulger assumed leadership of the Winter Hill Gang in 1978 when the previous leader, Howard “Howie” Winter, was arrested. The Gang was a primarily Irish-American organization. Their name is derived from the Winter Hill neighborhood in Somerville, Massachusetts. Howie Winter’s last name is a coincidence. Whitey’s leadership of the gang until 1995 was at the height of the severity of his crimes, with him gaining the most experience in killing in the 1980s. The Winter Hill gang was best known for fixing horse races, as well as supplying weapons to the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
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His ascension to leader was possible because of His protection by the FBI. He was already involved in serious crimes. For example, Frank Capizzi was shot three times by Bulger in 1973. He told the FBI when they visited his home. Despite this, Bulger was not arrested. This is because he was a “Top Echelon” informant, which allows him to avoid justice and progress to the top of the racket. Although he may not have been a direct informant up to this point, he has a connection to the FBI through Stephen Flemmi.
Whitey Bulger became an FBI informant in the 70s
Bulger, suspected by no one, was a top-echelon FBI informant
When Bulger took over the Winter Hill Gang, he had already been an FBI informant since at least 1974 (The Mob Museum). He worked most closely with FBI Special Agent John Connolly, a school friend of Bulger’s. Connolly – Or “sieve”As Whitey Bulger called him – Abused his position to share confidential information with his informants, including Bulger, and he faced sentencing for this in the early 2000s, along with a retrospective conviction for a serious crime later.
Bulger was not the only FBI informant either “rat” in the winter hill gang – Stephen Flemmi was also an informant Working together with him. Flemmi is still alive and is now serving a life sentence. Both Flemmi and Bulger provided information about other gangs to the FBI in addition to Winter Hill. make up Invaluable to the FBI It was important to ensure that they remained protected – when they did not have important information to report, they did so to maintain their relationship with the agency.
The rivalry of the Winter Hill gang with the patriarch crime family explained
The two gangs had a strong rivalry that served the FBI’s motives.
The Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England Mafia or the Boston Mafia, is an Italian-American organized crime group Operating in New England. With factions based in Providence and Boston, the family has a significant presence in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The family members of Patriarca “They are sometimes allies but often rivals with the Winter Hill gang” (The Mob Museum).
The key difference between the Winter Hill gang and the Patriarca family was their geographical scope. The Winter Hill Gang was primarily a Boston-based criminal group, while the Patriarca family was part of a national and international crime syndicate. While the Winter Hill gang was formidable, they could not compete with the Patriarca family on a national level. nevertheless, The two bands had a great competition – This ultimately helped the FBI, who used their high-level Irish-American mob connections to go after the Italian Mafia, which was a source of obsession for the FBI.
How Whitey Bulger became a fugitive
Bulger was given a tip about his upcoming charge
Bulger’s fate in Black mass is very difficult to plot in a single film, which is a condensed version. It lacks some really interesting material, including Waity has been a fugitive for 16 years. There are excellent books about it, including The Bulger brothers by Howie Carr. Bulger disappeared on December 23, 1994. Carr details additional events in the days leading up to his disappearance, which provide more backstory. Whitey, for example, journaled about his participation in an LSD experiment during his prison years, in which he participated to reduce his sentence, resulting in horrific nightmares that plagued him throughout his life.
Bulger could be a fugitive for so long, because he had foreseen it for some time and Prepared his new identity, “Thomas F. Baxter”. He also received a tip that he let him escape quickly when his friends were arrested. The advice came from Kevin Weeks, his longtime friend and lieutenant. He phoned Bulger saying, “We need to talk,” Be careful about revealing anything because of the prevalence of phone bugging. For weeks, information was given of an upcoming federal indictment of Zip.
Whitey Bulger’s arrest and trial explained
Bulger was a most wanted fugitive for over a decade
Bulger was on the FBI’s most wanted list – His poster even appeared briefly in the movie Hannibal, And he was often featured as the fugitive of the week on the TV show America’s Most Wanted. His latest catch and the reason behind it is amazing. ABC News reported that the FBI had traced the serial numbers of his girlfriend Katherine Greig’s breast implants back to her plastic surgeon’s office, a vital lead to Bulger’s arrest in 2011. Before that, he lived as Thomas Baxter, a retired Traveling with his partner. He traveled as wide as London without being caught.
Bulger, aged 81, has denied involvement in 19 murders…
London was his last credible sighting in 2002, almost a decade before he was finally arrested. The reward for his capture – $2 million – was the Largest reward the FBI has ever offered for a domestic fugitive. Mr. Bulger, aged 81, has denied involvement in 19 murders and other criminal activities, including extortion, money laundering, and possession of firearms. After a lengthy trial, Mr. Bulger pleaded guilty to a slew of racketeering charges, including involvement in 11 murders, in 2013. He was sentenced to life in prison. Judge Dennis J. Kasper described Mr. Bulger’s crimes as “almost unknown” Due to their extent, cruelty and wickedness (New York Times Archive).
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What happened to Whitey Bulger and the Winter Hill gang after his conviction
Unlike Bulger, other Winter Hill gang members have already been arrested
Whitey Bulger died in a federal prison in West Virginia in 2018 at the age of 89. He was beaten to death by fellow inmates. This happened only one day after he arrived in “Hazelton’s Penitentiary”. Two of his attackers were MapisAnd it seems likely that the motive behind it was Bulger’s infamy “rat” Status. Boston Globe Columnist Kevin Cullen’s book points to the suspicion behind the prison’s failure to protect Bulger from the particular inmates. With any number of prisons not containing Boston-area gangsters, it seems suspicious that Bulger was transferred to this one considering the risk.
Notable associates in the Winter Hill gang were already arrested in the 90s while Bulger was on the run. Kevin Weeks deserves the nickname “two weeks” Because of how quickly he flipped under interrogation. Flemmi was denied compassionate release of his life sentence in 2021 (Patriot Ledger) – “The parole board set Flemmi’s parole date for 2218, saying he has 2,680 months left to serve.” Patrick Nye, a former associate of Bulger and Wax, was released from prison in 2000. He later wrote the book A criminal and an Irishman in 2006.
Source: Boston Magazine, Boston, The Mob Museum, New York Times Archive, Patriot Ledger