Federal prosecutors have come out actively against James J. “Whitey” Bulger’s request for a taxpayer-funded court-appointed attorney.

“During his more than sixteen years as a fugitive in this case, Bulger financed a relatively comfortable lifestyle for himself and his girlfriend, Catherine Greig,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian T. Kelly and Fred M. Wyshak wrote in court papers responding to Bulger’s request for a court-appointed attorney. “Indeed, upon arrest, his rent controlled apartment was found to contain $822,198 in cash – much of it in packages containing $100 bills that were bundled together and hidden inside a wall in the apartment.”

In the court papers, the prosecutors say Bulger admitted he also “stashed money with people he trusted.”

Kelly and Wyshak called for affidavits to be collected from Bulger’s brothers, John and William before a decision is made on court-appointed counsel.

Bulger also told federal agents that William might be willing to post bail for him.

“Of course, if that is true, William Bulger might also be willing to pay for an attorney to represent his brother,” the court documents read.

The prosecutors also brought up the fact that John Bulger was convicted of perjury in 2003 after lying about “his role in managing defendant Bulger’s financial affairs which involved assisting defendant Bulger in hiding assets in Florida.”

“James Bulger stands accused of an avalanche of serious charges. Surely the possibility of being prosecuted for perjury if he files a false financial affidavit in this case is of no concern to him – he has every incentive to lie and stick the taxpayers with the bill for his defense. Accordingly, the Court should not simply rely on Bulger’s own claims of indigence.”

About The Author

John Guilfoil is the editor-in-chief of Blast: Boston's Online Magazine and the Blast Magazine Network. He can be reached at [email protected]. Tweet @johnguilfoil.

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