Whitey Bulger and Raymond Patriarca: Inside the Relationship

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Monday, September 21, 2015

GoLocalProv News Team with Patrick Sargent and Kate Nagle

The Patriarca organization and the Winter Hill Gang are two of the most infamous crime organizations in American history. These two groups are both linked together and yet widely different.

“The difference most notable was the area they controlled. Winter Hill Gang was pretty much Metro-Boston based. The Patriarca La Cosa Nosta (LCN) was part of a national and international crime family with history going back many years. Winter Hill was a strong, dangerous, calculating group of criminals that could rival the LCN in the area,” Retired Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police Tom Foley tells GoLocal. “They were not able to compete on a national level. Even though Winter Hill would venture into other jurisdictions if the money was there; they didn't have control of those areas (i.e. Florida, Connecticut).” Foley is the author of "Most Wanted - Pursuing Whitey Bulger, the Murderous Mob Chief the FBI Secretly Protected."

"In RI we were aware of Howie Winter and Jimmy Bulger, but there was very limited contact with Winter Hill members. The RI State Police Intelligence Unit would share information during that period of time with the Mass State Police and FBI, but it was difficult as those relations north of Providence were strained," said Brendan Doherty, former Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police. "Frank Salemme who became the boss of the New England La Cosa Nostra after Raymond Jr. (Patriarca) and Nicky Bianco were incarcerated, spent considerable time between Boston and Providence. Frank was close to Stevie Flemmi and Flemmi was Jimmy Bulgers guy. I would send my information to Tom Foley because he had a better handle on Boston than anyone. When it came to criminal intelligence information Tom Foley could hear the grass grow."

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Whitey Bulger emerged as the boss of the Winter Hill gang in 1978 after Howie Winter went to prison.

Bulger, Patriarca’s Underbosses - the Anguilo Brothers and the FBI

“The relationship with the Winter Hill Gang worked through the Angiulo family which was part of the Patriarca La Cosa Nostra. Winter Hill had little to do directly with Patriarca even though Flemmi and Martorano were once recruited to go into the LCN. Flemmi had a good relationship with the Providence group,” said Colonel Foley.

Many wonder if Bulger and his fellow Winter Hill Gang member Stephen Flemmi traded information to the FBI on Patriarca’s associates.

Law enforcement experts had similar opinions of the relationship between Wnter Hill and Federal Hill. "If someone was paying protection for a bookmaking operation to the Angiulo brothers in Boston (they fell under the auspices of Raymond) they were hands off. If Providence wiseguys tried to shakedown a Winter Hill operative they would most likely be sent a message that the guys "with" Whitey and it would be generally understood that it's hands off. Whitey needed to show that he was a violent guy. Raymond wanted to show that he was a gentleman and a business man, but don't mistake kindness for weakness," said Doherty.

Former RI Attorney General, Arlene Violet

“While a lot has been said of the Patriarca - Bulger relationship I belong to the school of thought espoused by the late John Partington, former head of the federal witness protection program, said former RI Attorney General Arlene Violet. “His (Partington’s) opinion was based on his experience with Joe Barbosa who had agreed to falsely testify in a murder case against some of "Jerry" Angiulo’s (Patriarca’s underboss in Boston) crew at the behest of FBI AGENT John Connolly which benefited Whitey Bulger's burgeoning crime empire and that of several other "made guys" under witness protection.” Violet and Partington wrote “The Mob and Me.”

“Usually their feuds were over controlling certain bookmakers and maintaining their illegal revenue stream. Often bookmakers were pressured into paying one group or the other so there were mutual agreements as who a bookmaker or loan shark would come under for payment. Occasionally members of these groups would get involved in disputes among each other that would have to be resolved by the upper echelon of these groups. This sometimes resulted in violence but neither had the appetite to go to war,' said Foley.

“Information provided by Bulger and Flemmi (to the FBI) and electronic bugs led to the convictions of almost every member of the Boston branch of the Office (Patriarca), writes Howard Abadlinsky in his book. “Organized Crime.”

Brendan Doherty, former head of the RI State Police

"As it relates to their style or who was more of a threat it's known that Raymond Sr. ran New England LCN. He tried to avoid the spot light as did his son. But he made it known that he was the boss and after a few early challenges to his leadership racketeers in New England knew who they had to pay homage to. Raymond was also very insulated," said Doherty.

"Bulger, however, was the boss of an independent organized crime faction that ran a large neighborhood and grabbed opportunities outside of the neighborhood when the situation was right. Territories were cut up many years before Howie Winter and Jimmy Bulger so they respected those operations that were hands off. If the Bulger gang encroached on Patriarca territory it would cause a "sit down" or a meeting to resolve the dispute. No one wants a sit down because they can end in violence so situations like that are generally avoided," said Doherty.

Before the FBI - the Relationship

Before the the Department of Justice moved forward with indictment across primarily the Italian members of organized crime, the Boston crime organization and Patriarca had limited violence between the two organizations.

“Depending on the situation both were very dangerous in their own right. Both were motivated by greed and power and both didn't hesitate to murder if necessary. Both would do what they had to do to protect their worlds,” added Foley.