Keep in mind Connolly was never convicted of taking any money nor was any other FBI agent. One agent, John Morris, admitted taking $7,000 from Whitey and $5,000 from another TEI. There were allegations that another agent nicknamed “Agent Orange” took $1000 and that others received expensive clocks or knick=knacks from Whitey according to Kevin Weeks but those allegations were met with denials. As it stands only one agent admitted taking money. And even if those others did, there was no evidence that they did anything in return for the gifts other than what they were obligated to do under the TEI program.
Having been in the business for many years as a prosecutor and a defense lawyer I suggest it is a stretch to say if a cop or agent receives a gift at Christmas from a gangster he is corrupt. I don’t condone such things because doing it leads to precisely the situation some law enforcement officers find themselves in where they feel an obligation to the giver. There’s lots of freebies that are given to cops such as passes to sporting events or late night meals or the proverbial apple from the fruit stand but to suggest that means widespread corruption and that it only happened in Boston is to ignore reality.
After Kelly said there was no doubt Whitey was an informant suggesting he was one as far back as in the Fifties when he was arrested for armed robbery (which under Kelly’s theory he talked to the FBI agents who arrested him would make him one but as I’ve suggested he did so because he was trying to get his girlfriend out of trouble) Carney struck back.
Carney said Jim, Whitey doesn’t like to be called Whitey for some reason even though he used to introduce himself to people who didn’t know him who he was trying to frighten as Whitey, was never an informant. His whole life is a testament to that. What is a sign one is an informant, it is the person received money. There is no showing money went to Whitey. (Carney nicely forgets that protection is even better than money)
Carney then outdoes himself saying at Christmas Jimmy stuffed between 30 and 40 envelopes full of cash for the cops in amounts between $1,000 and $100,000. Kevin Weeks, Whitey’s former backup, told us about the envelopes. He said they mostly contained $100 or a little higher. One for Agent Orange contained $1000 and for Connolly $5000. Carney has no problem with multiplying the amounts to astronomical levels. He’ll later go from there to say 35, or between 30 and 40, FBI agents were on Whitey’s payroll. I assume he figured that out because of the number of envelopes allegedly stuffed with money. But Weeks said most of the money went to the local Southie cops and only 2 envelopes were for FBI agents.
Loose talk like Carney’s serves little purpose in getting at the truth but he’s a criminal defense lawyer and that type of reasoning is necessary when dealing with the type of clients he represents.
Boeri popped in to suggest Whitey was an informant but not as good as Stevie Flemmi who he said was the best informant the FBI ever had. He doesn’t address what the FBI did for Stevie. He then suggests Howie Winter and Buddy McLean were informants which is a road too far. Winter never informed on anyone. Like Ralph DiMasi that he did lots of time in prison shows he kept his mouth shut. McLean might have been one of Rico’s. Why Boeri made that leap to include Winter befuddled me.