FBI Most Wanted Crime Lord Portrayed in 'The Departed' Caught

By Ariel R. Rey , Christian Post Reporter

June 23, 2011|4:57 pm

The infamous Boston crime lord portrayed in the movie “The Departed” by Jack Nicholson has been arrested after 16 years on the run.

James "Whitey" Bulger, 81, was arrested with his longtime girlfriend, 60, Wednesday night at a Santa Monica apartment building.

The American gangster has been on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list at number two (behind Osama bin Laden) for 19 murders that were committed between 1970 and mid-1980s, according to the FBI.

Bulger has been on the run since 1995 after being warned by John Connolly Jr., an FBI agent. Connolly was convicted in 2002 for his 20 years as an FBI informant for Bulder and his cohort, Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi.

Since his run, he was presumed to take refuge in Mexico, Canada, Europe and even Uruguay. After failing to catch him, the FBI decided to change the focus of the search on Monday and instead look for his longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig, which proved to be successful.

Ads were aired on Tuesday targeting women around Greig’s age – in their sixties – to find out her whereabouts. The campaign proved to be successful.

The FBI reported on their website that they were “arrested without incident” and updated Bulger’s profile picture as “captured.”

He was scheduled to appear before a federal judge Thursday in Los Angeles on murder, extortion, narcotics distribution and laundering charges. His girlfriend is charged for refuging the fugitive.