Klein, Christopher. How Whitey Bulger Manipulated the FBI Into Locking Up His Enemies. History, 1 Nov. 2018, https://www.history.com/news/whitey-bulger-fbi-informant.
In “How Whitey Bulger Manipulated the FBI Into Locking Up His Enemies,” Christopher Klein, an author of four books whose work has appeared in numerous publications, discusses how although Whitey Bulger was an FBI informant, he manipulated the FBI more than the agency used him for secrets regarding the criminal underworld in South Boston. A major source referenced throughout the article is “Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil’s Deal,” a book by Dick Lehr and Gerald O’Neill which mentions how the FBI’s decision to work with Bulger triggered the most drastic crime spree in South Boston’s history; in addition, Klein quotes conversations between Bulger and corrupt FBI officials. Given the article’s publication by an educational service known for its intriguing documentaries and the wide scope of information Klein provides, the intended audience is individuals who enjoy learning about notable characters and events in US history but don’t have any prior knowledge about Bulger. The purpose of Klein’s text is to highlight the corruptness in the FBI informant system and how impactful money can be in determining the loyalty of law enforcement officials.
This source was extremely useful. In particular, the article provided an in-depth summary of the relationship between Bulger and John Connolly, who managed to convince Bulger to become an FBI informant. The two grew up in the same rundown housing project in South Boston, and when Connolly was young, Bulger rescued Connolly when Connolly was attacked. After joining forces with the FBI, most of Bulger’s competition in South Boston was eliminated by the FBI, “creating a vacuum in the Boston underworld” that Bulger quickly filled. Due to Bulger’s generous gifts to the FBI, he was “less of a target of law enforcement,” allowing him to get away with a multitude of crimes. This information improves my short story tremendously since it gives Bulger a corrupt sidekick, and it explains in my story how Bulger will be able to manipulate desperate individuals into robbing banks for him.