Black Mass

by Dick Lehr

  Court records: The sworn testimony at the Wolf hearings of Stephen Flemmi, August 20, 21, 24, 25, and 28, and September 1, 1998 (including his account of how Paul Rico arranged for attempted murder charges to be dropped when Flemmi returned from hiding in 1974); John Morris, April, 28, 29, and 30, 1998; and Theresa Stanley, September 17 and 18, 1998; the federal indictments in 1994, 1995, and 1996 against Robert DeLuca, James Bulger, Stephen Flemmi, and Frank Salemme; the court filings in the 1993 federal conviction of Michael London; the 1992 conviction of Vincent Ferrara and others; the 1991 Massachusetts and 1993 federal prosecution of Burton Krantz, James Katz, Vincent Roberto, and others; the 1992 federal indictment of Krantz and Katz and others on money-laundering charges; the 1994 testimony in federal court by state police sergeant Thomas Foley as part of the government’s opposition to having Krantz’s lawyer, Richard Egbert, represent other defendants in the same and related cases; Wolf, “Memorandum and Order.”

  Judge Wolf addressed John Connolly’s reliance on FBI contacts for information about the grand jury investigation of Bulger and Flemmi.

  Finally, as indicated earlier, members of the Organized Crime Squad kept Connolly advised of at least some developments in the investigation of Flemmi and Bulger that was initiated after Connolly retired. Connolly used that information to honor his promise to protect Bulger and Flemmi. . . . While the United States Attorney could not obtain information that he was seeking from the FBI, Connolly, who was no longer employed by the Bureau, was able to monitor the progress of the grand jury investigation and keep Bulger and Flemmi advised concerning it. . . . Connolly’s enduring relationship with members of the Organized Crime squad gave him access to some information concerning the ongoing investigation of Bulger and Flemmi. As explained below, that information was at times not complete or fully reliable. However, Connolly used the information that he received to honor his promise to protect the sources who had contributed so much to his success. (pp. 26-27, 392-93)

  We also relied on Massachusetts criminal offender records for bookmakers Burton Krantz, James Katz, Joseph Yerardi, Richard Brown, Howard Levenson, Edward Lewis, and Mitchell Zuckoff; and the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds on mortgage and foreclosure documents from 1991 to 1994 on property owned by Paul E. and Donna Moore at 1722 State Rd., Plymouth.

  CHAPTER 19: IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND

  Main sources: The sworn testimony at the Wolf hearings of Stephen Flemmi, August 21 and 24, 1998; interviews with Anthony M. Cardinale in 1997 and 1999; interviews with Kenneth M. Fishman in 1998 and 1999; tour and 1999 interviews at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility; Wolf, “Memorandum and Order”; defense and government motions, memorandums of law, and affidavits filed in United States v Frank Salemme et al. on March 27, April 9 and 10, and June 3 and 25, 1997; and orders and rulings made by Judge Mark L. Wolf on April 14, 21, and 24, and May 22, 1997. It should be noted that the early 1997 motions and rulings were sealed from public view at the time of their filing, but Judge Wolf eventually ordered them unsealed.

  It is an interesting coincidence that on the same day Cardinale filed his motions, March 21, 1997, two agents of the Boston FBI office interviewed John Connolly about Bulger and his possible whereabouts. The agents were Connolly’s old friend Nick Gianturco and Walter Steffens. Connolly told the agents the story of Bulger buying him an ice cream cone when he was a boy. He said he hoped that “Bulger was never caught.” He mentioned the infamous party at Morris’s house in April 1985 at which Morris told Bulger and Flemmi they could commit any crime short of murder. Connolly also told the agents he knew about Bulger’s telephone threat to John Morris, a fact that was not public.

  One of the agents, Steffens, was shocked by Connolly’s remark about hoping Bulger was never caught. He was further shocked by the omission of that telling quote by Connolly from the report that Gianturco prepared about the interview. Gianturco’s report—which he did not file until May 7, 1997, or more than a month later—was flawed in other ways as well. He failed to include Connolly quoting Morris’s remark at the dinner party but did include the false statement that Connolly “has not seen or heard from Bulger since December of 1989.”

  CHAPTER 20: THE PARTY’S OVER

  Main sources: The sworn testimony at the Wolf hearings of Stephen Flemmi, August 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, and 28, and September 2, 1998; John Morris, April 28, 29, and 30, 1998; Jim Ring, June 5, 1998; Dennis Condon, May 1, 4, and 5, 1998; Robert Fitzpatrick, April 16 and 17, 1998; Theresa Stanley, September 16, 1998; Debbie Morris, September 22, 1998; and John Connolly, October 30, 1998; exchanges during court sessions between Judge Wolf and prosecutor Fred Wyshak, January 8, April 23, June 5, August 24, and September 15, 1998; interviews with Anthony M. Cardinale in 1997, 1998, and 1999; interviews with Kenneth M. Fishman in 1998 and 1999; tour and 1999 interviews at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility; Wolf, “Memorandum and Order.”

  News articles: Boston Globe articles and columns about Bulger, the FBI, and the hearings, December 30, 1997, January 4, 6, 7, and 8, April 23, May 1 and 3, June 11 and 14, and July 18 and 19, 1998; a five-part series by the Globe’s Spotlight Team, July I9—23 and 24, August 4, September 7 and 29, and October 28 and 31, 1998, August 20, September 9, 10, and 16, 1999; Boston Herald articles and columns about the hearings, December 30, 1997, January 6, 7, and 8, March 25, April 17, May 1, and October 31, 1998, August 5, and September 16, 1999; Christopher Lydon, interview with William Weld, The Connection, WBUR-FM, October 7, 1998; John Connolly 1998 interviews with the Globe, the Boston Tab, Boston magazine; WBZ-AM Radio, and WRKO-AM Radio.

  EPILOGUE

  Main sources: Wolf, “Memorandum and Order”; United States v John J. Connolly Jr., James Bulger aka “Whitey,” and Stephen Flemmi; United States v Kevin P. Weeks and Kevin P. O’Neil.

  News articles: on John Martorano’s plea, Frank Salemme’s plea and the indictment of Kevin Weeks and Kevin O’Neil, and the recovery of three bodies, we relied on articles in the Boston Globe, September 9, October 10, November 18, 19, and 22, and December 10, 1999, January 16, and February 23, 2000; and in the Boston Herald, November 19, 1999.

  Acknowledgments

  The Boston Globe gave us a leave of absence to write Black Mass: The Irish Mob, the FBI, and a Devil’s Deal, and we want to thank a number of Globe publishers, editors, and colleagues who, along the way, extended a helping hand.

  Publishers William O. Taylor and Ben Taylor and editors Tom Winship, Jack Driscoll, and Matt Storin have all been supportive of our coverage of the Bulger-FBI story, reporting that now dates back more than a decade. Kevin Cullen helped get us started in 1988, and we teamed up afterward on a number of Bulger-FBI stories. It’s always a pleasure to work with him. Christine Chinlund played a crucial role in the 1988 series that first reported Whitey Bulger was an informant for the FBI. Researcher Mary Beth Knox was helpful in the early work, as well.

  We’d also like to thank Mitch Zuckoff. He worked with us on a 1998 Globe series probing deeper into Bulger’s ties to the FBI, and then provided invaluable assistance throughout the writing of this book in 1999. He found the time to listen to our ideas as we developed the book’s outline and themes, and most important, he read the first drafts of our chapters as we wrote them. His suggestions were always helpful.

  Ben Bradlee, Jr., the Globe’s deputy managing editor for projects, edited the 1998 Globe series on Bulger and the FBI. It turns out that a member of the Bradlee family has had a hand in this story on two fronts—first at the newspaper and now at our publishing house. PublicAffairs was founded by Peter Osnos in tribute to Benjamin C. Bradlee and two other leading figures in American publishing and journalism, Robert L. Bernstein, the longtime chief executive of Random House and founder of Human Rights Watch, and the journalist I. F. Stone. Stone, for one, had plenty to say about agencies such as the FBI. During a 1971 academic conference held at Princeton University—the basis for the book Investigating the FBI—Stone warned that the FBI’s deeply rooted obsession with its pub
lic image has led it to resist tough outside scrutiny. The FBI, he noted, has “been engaging in brainwashing and self-glorification and this makes it difficult to control.” The bureau’s job, he added during a panel discussion, “is the investigation of crime, not indoctrination of the public.”

  We’d also like to acknowledge Brant Houston at Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and Peg Lotito at the Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). The FIJ supported us with a research grant that was essential in the writing of the book.

  Mary C. Velasquez read the early chapters of this book as they were written, providing a jump-start that helped us get some momentum going. Reading the final draft, she found ways to improve the narrrative. She helped in many other ways too, and having her hand in all of this was indispensable.

  A number of colleagues at the Globe deserve mention. Al Larkin was always supportive. Steve Kurkjian and Tim Leland are friends who got investigative reporting underway at the Globe. Tom Mulvoy and Mike Larkin are friends and fine editors who expedited and improved our work. We appreciate the reporting work about the Bulger case done by Shelley Murphy, Bill Doherty, and Patricia Nealon. Matt Carroll, Bob Yeager, and Sean Mullin provided guidance in managing our databases and software. John Tlumacki’s knack for capturing photographs of Bulger was uncanny.

  David Butler created a fine map of Boston. Stan Grossfeld advised us about the book cover. David Warsh showed us where the key to the writers’ room at the Globe was hidden. Columnist David Nyhan has always been supportive and made it fun. Joan Anderman gave us some music. Linda Hunt helped us navigate the Globe’s bureaucracy, and Barbara McDonough and her colleagues at the Globe’s message center kept us in touch.

  Head librarian Lisa Tuite was invaluable in organizing Globe and Herald news stories that frequently reached back two and three decades. The rest of the Globe library staff was always helpful in running down information. They are Wanda Joseph-Rollins, Jimmy Cawley, Richard Pennington, Kathleen Hennrikus, Donna Ritchie, Bill Boles, Betty Grillo, Charlie Smiley, Marc Shechtman, Christine Quarembo, and Rosemarie McDonald. If we have left someone out, we apologize.

  There a number of people who, as friends or writing mentors, have shared their encouragement and wise counsel, either now or way back when: the late Richard T. O’Neill, who loved to talk about writing with his son, the late George V. Higgins, Harry Goldgar, the late Bill Alfred, John L’Heureux, Dominick Dunne, Howard O’Brien, Phil Bennett, Larry Tye, Wil Haygood, Jack Thomas, Maureen Dezell, Brian C. Mooney, Nick King, Bruce Butterfield, Jon Albano of Bingham Dana & Gould, Jonathan Tisch, Dave Holahan, Kyn Tolson, Mark Melady, Joel Lang, Donna DiNovelli, Dennie Williams, Andy Kreig, Tom Condon, Lincoln Millstein, Irene Driscoll, John F. and Kellie Lehr, Jr., and John and Nancy Lehr.

  The late Bernadette Rossi Lehr cherished the written word and always urged patience so the work would turn out right.

  A number of other journalists have for years pursued this story aggressively, each in his own style: namely, Christopher Lydon, first at WGBH-TV’s The 10 O’Clock News and today at WBUR-FM’s syndicated radio show The Connection; Howie Carr, Peter Gelzinis, Ralph Ranalli, and Jonathan Wells of the Boston Herald; and Edmund Mahony of the Hartford Courant. They all made significant contributions to the public’s understanding of the involvement between the Boston FBI and the Bulgers.

  We’d like to thank Esmond Harmsworth, Lane Zachary, and Todd Shuster of the Zachary Shuster Literary Agency for their representation and solid support, and we’d like to thank our editor and publisher at PublicAffairs, Geoff Shandler and Peter Osnos, for their strong backing. Shandler is a special editor with a keen eye. Gene Taft, PublicAffairs’ director of publicity, who is originally from Boston, was the one who first read our series as it ran in the Globe in 1998 and brought it to his colleagues saying they should get us to write a book.

  In many ways, without U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf, we wouldn’t have had access to the material needed to flesh out a history of Bulger and the Boston FBI. The judge was responsible for holding court hearings that generated for public scrutiny FBI files that the bureau had expected to remain secret forever. Moreover, many participants who still refuse to be interviewed about this story were forced by court subpoena to answer questions under oath. Over time we already had accumulated many files, documents, records, and interviews on our own, but that testimony and the FBI files were vital in giving the story the scope, depth, and drama it warrants. The work of all the lawyers involved in the case before Judge Wolf also deserves acknowledgment. They have been at it for nearly a decade now, and their collective abilities in court and in their legal filings always impress: U.S. attorney Donald Stern and assistants Fred Wyshak, Brian Kelly, and James Herbert; and Anthony M. Cardinale, Kenneth J. Fishman, Martin G. Weinberg, Randolph Gioia, Kimberly Homan, and John Mitchell for the defense.

  Finally, we want to acknowledge some of the state troopers, local police, and federal drug agents, most now in retirement, who were trying to do their jobs not knowing that the playing field had been fixed by the Boston FBI. We probably have missed a few people, and for that we apologize, but they include Robert Long, Rick Fraelick, Jack O’Malley, Charles Henderson, John O’Donovan, Joe Saccardo, Thomas Duffy, John Tutungian, and Tom Foley of the Massachusetts State Police; Jim Carr, Frank Dewan, and Ken Beers of the Boston Police Department; Richard Bergeron and the late Dave Rowell of the Quincy Police Department; Mike Huff of the Tulsa Police Department; and Al Reilly, Steve Boeri, and Daniel Doherty of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

  Index

  Ahearn, Jim

  and Boston Globe

  and court proceedings

  and court ruling

  and DEA

  Alcatraz

  Alexander, Bonnie

  American Cable Systems

  Angiulo, Donato

  Angiulo, Frankie

  Angiulo, Gennaro J.

  and bugging activity

  and FBI

  and racketeering

  and Stevie Flemmi

  and Tony Cardinale

  trial of

  and Whitey Bulger

  and Winter Hill gang

  Angiulo, Mikey

  Anti-drug gangsters

  Apalachin (NY)

  Atlantic City

  Attorney General’s Informant Guidelines

  Auerhahn, Jeffrey

  Austin, Shawn T. “Rooster”

  Back Bay

  Back Side Restaurant

  Baharoian, John

  Bailey, F. Lee

  Baker, Dick

  Baldwin, Tim

  Bank robberies

  Barbara, Joseph

  Barnoski, William

  Barnum & Bailey’s circus

  Baron, Joseph Barboza

  Barrett, Arthur “Bucky”

  Barton, Robert A.

  Bat Cave

  Beacon Companies

  Bellotti, Francis

  Bennett, Walter

  Bennett, William

  Bergeron, Richard

  bin Laden, Osama

  Bird, Larry

  Blackburn, James R.

  “Bobby the Greaser”

  Boeri, Stephen

  Bok, Sissela

  Bonanno, Joseph

  Bonavolonta, Jules

  Bookmaking

  “Bostar”

  Boston

  busing

  See also South Boston

  Boston Bruins

  Boston College

  Boston Edison

  Boston Garden

  Boston Globe

  Bulger brothers story

  interviews

  Boston Herald

  Boston magazine

  Boston Society of Architects

  Boston Tab

  Boston Telecommunications Group, Inc.

  Boudreau, Martin

  Bradley, Brendan

  Brogna, Ellen

  Brown, Harold

  Brown, Richard

  Bruins

&n
bsp; Brunnick, Leo

  “Bucket of Blood” See also Triple O’s bar

  Buckley, Mike

  Budd, Wayne

  Bugging activity

  automobiles

  Baharoian and Puleo

  and DEA

  and Gennaro Angiulo

  Heller’s Cafe

  and John Connolly

  Lancaster Street garage

  roving bug

  and Vanessa’s Italian Food Shop

  See also Electronic surveillance

  Bulger, William “Billy”

  Boston Globe story

  and busing

  childhood

  and court proceedings

  and court ruling

  and DEA

  and FBI

  interviews with

  and John Connolly

  and parochial schools

  as politician

  as president of University of Massachusetts

  and Thomas Finnerty

  Bulger, James J. “Whitey”

  and Angiulo tapes

  and bank robberies

  and bookmaking

  and Boston Globe

  and Brian Halloran

  and Charles Henderson

  childhood

  circus performer

  and cocaine

  and court proceedings

  and court ruling

  criminal activity

  and Danny Angiulo

  death of mother

  discontinued contacts with Connolly

  and drug trafficking

  and electronic surveillance

  extortion

  and FBI

  as FBI informant

  first meeting with Connolly

  and Francis Green

  and Fred Wyshak

  and Gennaro Angiulo

  and horse racing

  and Jeremiah T. O’Sullivan

  Bulger, James J. “Whitey” (cont.)

  and John Connolly

  and John McIntyre

  and John Morris

  and Lancaster Foreign Car Service

  and Lawrence Sarhatt

  and life on the lam