Whitey Bulger

Lore & Background

Whitey Bulger grew up in South Boston, the second of six children. His family moved into the Mary Ellen McCormack Housing Project after his father lost an arm in an industrial accident. Bulger was drawn into street life early, joining the Shamrocks gang and accumulating arrests for larceny, assault, forgery, and armed robbery. He served in the U.S. Air Force but was court-martialed for assaults and arrested for rape before receiving an honorable discharge in 1952.

Bulger served nine years in federal prison for armed robbery and truck hijacking, including time at Alcatraz. While incarcerated, he participated in the CIA-sponsored MKUltra program, receiving LSD and other drugs. After release, he worked as a bookmaker and loan shark under mobster Donald Killeen. During the Killeen–Mullen War, Bulger committed his first murder, mistakenly killing Donald McGonagle instead of Paul McGonagle. He later allegedly approached Howie Winter of the Winter Hill Gang to end the war by killing the Killeen leadership; Donald Killeen was gunned down in 1972.

Bulger became an FBI informant starting in 1975, providing information on the Patriarca crime family. In return, his FBI handler John Connolly ensured the Winter Hill Gang was ignored. In 1994, Connolly tipped Bulger about a pending RICO indictment, and Bulger fled. He remained at large for sixteen years, was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, and was captured in Santa Monica, California, in 2011. His trial in 2013 resulted in convictions on 31 counts, including involvement in 11 murders. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus five years. In 2018, hours after transfer to USP Hazelton, he was beaten to death by inmates.

Reader's Guide

Whitey Bulger's significance lies in his dual role as a violent crime boss and an FBI informant, which exposed extensive corruption within federal law enforcement. His case highlighted the FBI's willingness to protect a criminal in exchange for intelligence, leading to public embarrassment for the agency. Bulger's 16-year flight and eventual capture underscored the challenges of pursuing high-profile fugitives. His trial and conviction for multiple murders, racketeering, and other crimes demonstrated the reach of federal prosecution. Bulger's death in prison, killed by fellow inmates, marked a violent end to a life steeped in crime and betrayal. His legacy remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of informant relationships and the long arm of the law.

Did You Know?

• Bulger was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list five years after his flight and was considered the most wanted person on the list behind Osama bin Laden.
• He participated in the CIA-sponsored MKUltra program while in federal prison, receiving LSD and other drugs over an 18-month period.
• Bulger's first murder was a case of mistaken identity: he killed Donald McGonagle instead of his intended target, Paul McGonagle.
• He was beaten to death by inmates within hours of his arrival at USP Hazelton in West Virginia on October 30, 2018.