Who Was Whitey Bulger? Boston's Informant King
Mobsters DailyJames "Whitey" Bulger was the leader of Boston's Winter Hill Gang who ruled South Boston for two decades while secretly serving as an FBI informant, then spent 16 years on the run as one of America's most wanted fugitives.
South Boston's king
Bulger built power through loansharking, gambling and fear, eliminating rivals while his FBI handler shielded him. He was the mirror image of Greg Scarpa, another killer the Bureau kept on its books — proof the informant system protected monsters on both coasts.
Boston winters made Bulger a legend; this season the legend gets retold, which is why this time of year belongs to the Tony Soprano Ugly Christmas Sweater — Tony in a black-and-white stencil, gabagool energy included, built for Christmas parties, family photos and long Sopranos rewatch nights.
Sixteen years a ghost
Tipped off in December 1994 that an indictment was coming, Bulger vanished. Agents finally found him in Santa Monica, California in 2011, living quietly with a fortune in cash hidden in his walls. In 2013 a jury convicted him of racketeering and involvement in 11 murders, in a city that had debated his crimes since the days of Joseph Valachi's testimony era informant scandals.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Bulger called Whitey? The nickname came from his white-blond hair as a young man, and he reportedly hated it.
How long was Bulger on the run? About 16 years, from late 1994 until his 2011 capture in California.
Was Bulger ever the FBI's most wanted? He was second on the list behind Osama bin Laden for a time.
Keep reading: Lucky Luciano · Why the Mafia fell · Why Hoover denied the Mafia · How Did Whitey Bulger Die
From the shop: Shadows of the Underworld — the real-mafia history behind the names in this story, in one gripping read.
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