Stephen Flemmi - Taking Down La Cosa Nostra Their Own Way

Taking Down La Cosa Nostra Their Own Way

Although Bulger had some dealings with Gennaro "Jerry" Angiulo, the Patriarca crime family's underboss in Boston, he rarely spoke to the Italians personally, usually using Flemmi as a go-between. Through Vincent, he had become acquainted with his brother's handler H. Paul Rico, and as Vincent succumbed to heroin addiction in the late 1960s, Rico increasingly sought Stephen out for reliable information.

Flemmi was offered the privilege of becoming a made man, as was Johnny Martorano, another Winter Hill Gang member. However, Flemmi declined the offer from Angiulo and Ilario Zannino and stayed with the Winter Hill Gang.

At one point, Bulger and Flemmi took out a $200,000 loan from Angiulo. When Angiulo asked them about repayment, Bulger and Flemmi stalled him. Angiulo was infuriated and a serious gang war appeared imminent. However, Flemmi had already been describing the layout of the Angiulo's headquarters, which was inside a Prince Street tenement in the North End, Boston. In 1986, the FBI planted a bug in the building.