How The Irish Mob Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider
John “Red” Shea was a member of the Irish Mob in Boston in the 1980s and 1990s.
He was a senior figure in James “Whitey” Bulger’s South Boston crew, which grew from the Winter Hill Gang. Shea ran a cocaine distribution network around Boston and was arrested in 1990, serving 12 years in prison.
He speaks to Business Insider about the codes, rules, and heritage of the Irish mob in Boston. He touches on iconic Irish mafia groups in other US cities, such as the Westies in New York. He covers the downfall of the Italian Mob in Boston, led by Jerry Angiulo, and the influence of informants such as Bulger and Stephen Flemmi. He discusses his childhood friendship with Kevin Weeks as well as money-making schemes, weapons, and violence.
Shea is the author of “Rat Bastards: The South Boston Irish Mobster Who Took the Rap When Everyone Else Ran,” and the novel “A Kid From Southie.” He currently works in construction in Boston.
Find out more:
