Opinion ID: 201862
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Callahan's Death

Text: 10 Callahan was chief executive officer of a business called World Jai Alai (WJA), owned by one Roger Wheeler (Wheeler). WJA operated frontons where customers could place bets on the outcome of jai alai matches. In an unusual coincidence, Callahan hired Rico, now retired from the FBI and the one who had recruited Flemmi as an FBI informant, as head of security for WJA. Around 1981, Callahan learned that individuals were skimming profits from WJA. He was concerned and reported his suspicions to Wheeler. 1 In response, Wheeler began an audit of WJA. To prevent Wheeler from discovering their profit skimming, Bulger and Flemmi wanted Wheeler killed. At their direction, John Martorano (Martorano), another member of the Winter Hill Gang, murdered Wheeler in May 1981. 11 In January 1982, one Brian Halloran (Halloran) began cooperating with the FBI while being prosecuted for an unrelated murder. He told the FBI that Bulger, Flemmi, and Callahan had asked him to murder Wheeler but that he had declined the offer. 2 Halloran also stated that Bulger, Flemmi, Callahan, and Martorano were ultimately responsible for Wheeler's murder. Agent Morris relayed this information to Agent Connolly, who in turn informed Bulger and Flemmi. In May 1982, Bulger and Flemmi had Halloran killed to prevent his further cooperation with law enforcement authorities. 12 In August 1982, Callahan's body was found in the trunk of a car at the Miami airport. Plaintiff makes two allegations as to a direct connection between the FBI and Callahan's death. 3 The first is from Plaintiff's complaint in this suit, and the second is from her administrative complaint. 13 The first allegation is that the FBI's investigation of the Wheeler murder eventually turned to Callahan. Around June 1982, Connolly informed Bulger and Flemmi that Callahan was under investigation. Although it is not clear how Callahan could have any incriminating information about the Wheeler murder, Bulger and Flemmi directed Martorano to kill Callahan to prevent him from cooperating with law enforcement authorities. 14 The second allegation is that Callahan told Rico that he feared that Wheeler's death was related to Wheeler's knowledge of the profit skimming at WJA. Rico told this to Morris and Connolly who in turn told Bulger and Flemmi. Bulger and Flemmi directed Martorano to kill Callahan because he knew of their profit skimming.