Johnny Depp's real-life character Whitey Bulger is one of the most famous organized crime bosses of all time, with him being the leader of the Winter Hill Gang in Boston until he was forced to flee the city and go into hiding in 1994. Whitey Bulger's activities in the following years are a bit mysterious, but as Black Mass shows, the gangster was finally caught and arrested, with these events having a big impact on Billy Bulger.

2015's Black Mass is directed by Scott Cooper, with the release on the gangster film on Netflix putting a lot of eyes on the movie once again. The film stars Johnny Depp as Whitey Bulger, with it being considered to be one of the actor's best performances. Black Mass has a star-studded cast that features ing actors like Jesse Plemons, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, and Juno Temple, with these stars making up the criminal world of Boston. However, the film also features one more important character who is a bit more disconnected: Benedict Cumberbatch's Billy Bulger.

Billy Bulger Was Forced To Resign From His Job At University Of Massachusetts

He Faced A Lot Of Pressure During The Hunt For Whitey

One of the things that makes Black Mass so interesting is the connection between gang leader Whitey Bulger and his brother, Billy Bulger. While Whitey was in the depths of organized crime, William Bulger was actually heavily involved in politics. In 1960, Billy Bulger was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, with him serving in this role until he was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in 1970. As is shown in Black Mass, Billy Bulger was elected President of the Massachusetts State Senate in 1978, with him serving in this role until 1996.

Although it isn't touched on until the epilogue at the end of Black Mass, Billy Bulger had an interesting career after leaving the Massachusetts State Senate. In 1995, Billy Bulger was appointed the president of the University of Massachusetts, with this happening near the end of his time serving as the President of the Massachusetts State Senate. Billy Bulger continued to serve in this role after leaving the State Senate, with him serving as the President of the University of Massachusetts until his involvement with his brother forced him to resign in 2003.

Billy Bulger's appointment as president of the university was always controversial, as some weren't fans of him getting the job despite his lack of experience in higher education. However, when the hunt for Whitey Bulger started after he fled in 1994, pressure slowly began to be put on Billy Bulger. Despite this pressure, Billy Bulger refused to work with authorities, with his lack of cooperation in the manhunt causing a lot of controversy for the school. Notable figures like Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney pressured Bulger to step down, which he finally did in 2003.

Did Billy Bulger Ever Partake Whitey's Gang-Related Crimes?

Billy Bulger Wasn't Charged With Anything

Due to Whitey Bulger being a gangster and Billy Bulger being a politician, there has always been a lot of speculation that the two may have collaborated on Whitey's gang-related crimes. However, the government has not uncovered any evidence that the duo colluded in Whitey's gang-related crimes, with Billy not being charged with anything despite his brother's criminal history. While the connection between Whitey and Billy has always been a public relations problem in Whitey's career, it doesn't seem like Billy ever helped his brother with his crimes.

However, Billy Bulger's lack of cooperation in the investigation into Whitey's crimes was a major blemish on the politician's career. Kevin Weeks was one of the criminals who worked alongside Whitey, with his testimony in 1999 revealing a major fact about Billy. As it turns out, Whitey and Billy had a phone call two weeks after Whitey went into hiding, meaning that Billy potentially had information on his brother's whereabouts. Billy testified on the matter in 2001 and 2003, explaining that he didn't urge Whitey to turn himself in and that Whitey's crimes didn't interfere with his governmental duties.

Before testifying in front of a Congressional committee in 2003, Billy Bulger was granted immunity from obstruction of justice charges. So, while it is impossible to say what would have happened if he wasn't granted immunity, Billy Bulger has not be convicted for any crime involving his brother's gang-related activities and subsequent life on the lam.

Where Billy Bulger Worked After Leaving UMass

He Did A Variety Of Jobs In Massachusetts

Although Billy Bulger left the University of Massachusetts, that wasn't the end of his time working in higher education. In 2004, Billy Bulger began working as a lecturer for political science at Boston College and Suffolk University. Although not as prestigious as his presidential role, his addition to the faculty of these schools highlights the work that he continued to do in politics and education.

Billy Bulger also filled a variety of other roles after leaving the University of Massachusetts. At one point, Billy was the president of and a member of the board of trustees of the Boston Public Library. He is also a member of the board of trustees for the Massachusetts General Hospital, the McLean Hospital, and the Museum of Fine Arts. On top of that, Billy Bulger also is the overseer emeritus of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. As has clearly been shown, his resignation from the University of Massachusetts was far from the end of his career.

Where Is Billy Bulger Now?

Billy Bulger Is Still Alice

Unlike Whitey Bulger, who was killed in prison in 2018, Billy Bulger is still alive as of the writing of this article. As of 2020, Billy Bulger lives in South Boston with his family. His wife Mary Foley sadly died in 2020, with Billy being aged 90 years old as of the writing of this article. Billy Bulger is currently continuing to receive a pension from his role as the President of the University of Massachusetts, with him still being involved in some of his other roles. Black Mass doesn't delve into all these details, with Billy Bulger having a lot of story left that occurred after the credits had rolled.