FBI Captures 'Whitey' Bulger, Girlfriend

After more than 16 years on the FBI's Most Wanted list, an infamous Boston crime boss has been captured in Santa Monica, California without incident. FBI agents took James "Whitey" Bulger and his longtime companion, Catherine Greig, into custody at a residence on Third Street.

The 81-year-old Bulger is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles to face at least 21 charges.

The arrests of Bulger and Greig come just days after the FBI released a new publicity campaign focused on the gangster's longtime girlfriend, rather than Bulger himself. The campaign offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to Greig's location.

The FBI issued the following statement late Wednesday:

"FBI Agents have arrested Top Ten Fugitive, James J. "Whitey" Bulger, and his companion, Catherine Greig, in California. Recent publicity produced a tip which led agents to Santa Monica where they located both Bulger and Greig at a residence early this evening. The two were arrested without incident. Both are currently scheduled for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California (downtown Los Angeles) on Thursday."

Bulger, the head of the White Hill Gang in Boston was once a "top echelon" informant for the FBI, feeding the agency information on a rival gang. He went on the run in late 1994 after he was warned by FBI agent John Connolly Jr. that he was about to be arrested on racketeering charges.

Connolly was later convicted for protecting Bulger and his sidekick, Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi.

As a fugitive Bulger became the subject of several books and was the inspiration of the movie "The Departed," the 2006 Best Picture of the Year starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson.

See Also:
FBI Nabs Boston Mobster 'Whitey' Bulger, Girlfriend
"Whitey" Bulger Was Arrested With Longtime Companion

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• Book Profiles Killer James Whitey Bulger

^{Photo: FBI}