James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr.
- Born:
- September 3, 1929, Dorchester, Massachusetts, USA
- Died:
- October 30, 2018, Hazelton, West Virginia, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Organized Crime Boss, Federal Informant
Early Life and Education
- Born and raised in a South Boston housing project.
- First arrest at age 14 for larceny.
- Served time in juvenile detention centers and later in federal prison for bank robbery.
Career and Major Achievements
- Rose through the ranks of the Winter Hill Gang in the 1970s.
- Became the head of the Winter Hill Gang, controlling organized crime in the Boston area.
- Served as a secret informant for the FBI, providing information on the Italian Mafia in exchange for protection.
- Managed to evade capture for over a decade after being indicted in 1994.
- Arrested in Santa Monica, California in 2011.
- Convicted in 2013 on 31 counts, including racketeering, extortion, money laundering, and multiple murders.
Notable Works
- His life and criminal activities have been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and films.
Legacy and Impact
James "Whitey" Bulger's legacy is one of notoriety and infamy. His complex relationship with law enforcement and brutal reign over Boston's criminal underworld have made him a figure of intense public fascination. The story of the rise and fall of James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr. is often presented as a case study in corruption and the ethical dilemmas of law enforcement. The story has been retold through numerous forms of media.
In Popular Culture
| Title | Type | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Mass | Film | 2015 | Starring Johnny Depp as Whitey Bulger. |
| The Departed | Film | 2006 | Jack Nicholson's character, Frank Costello, is loosely based on Bulger. |
| Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger | Documentary | 2014 | Directed by Joe Berlinger. |
Death
- Bulger was murdered in prison on October 30, 2018, hours after being transferred to USP Hazelton.