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#296 - Boston Kingpin UNLOADS on Whitey Bulger, Rats & FBI Corruption | Red Shea

Apr 25, 2025

03:26:04

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ANECDOTE

Early Childhood Violence and Boxing Start

At five years old, Red Shea was violently bullied and his older sister took matters into her own hands to protect him.
She then took him to the gym to start boxing, shaping his life in a tough Boston environment.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Collaboration with Mark Wahlberg

Red Shea collaborated with Mark Wahlberg on the movie The Departed and Wahlberg helped him get a book deal.
Wahlberg respected Red's code against ratting and supported his life after prison.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Standing Up to Whitey Bulger

Red Shea stood up to Whitey Bulger twice despite the risks and earned his respect for his defiance.
Whitey told him to claim he was his friend if threatened again, signaling trust.

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Transformative Collaborations: A Journey from Darkness to Success

02:17 • 2min

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Loyalty and Betrayal in the Criminal Underworld

04:30 • 20min

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Reflections on Absence

24:59 • 4min

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Confronting Childhood Bullying and the Journey to Boxing

28:35 • 3min

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Fighting Memories: From Childhood to the Ring

31:24 • 17min

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Navigating Family Turmoil

48:49 • 12min

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A Troubled Youth: Confrontations with Law and Family Betrayal

01:00:22 • 3min

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The Weight of Betrayal

01:03:02 • 8min

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From Boston Streets to California Dreams

01:10:58 • 29min

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The Chemistry of Betrayal

01:40:04 • 9min

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The Boston Underworld: Myths and Betrayals

01:48:50 • 7min

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A Cautionary Tale of Cocaine and Historical Revelations

01:55:39 • 5min

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Family Ties and Criminal Shadows

02:00:10 • 18min

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Betrayal and Bonds in the Underworld

02:17:41 • 26min

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Loyalty and Betrayal in the Shadows

02:43:16 • 15min

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Connections and Coincidences in Santa Monica

02:58:40 • 3min

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Celebrity Encounters and Reflections

03:01:37 • 15min

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Reflection and Future Endeavors

03:16:52 • 2min

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(***TIMESTAMPS in description below) ~ John "Red" Shea is an American former mobster from Boston involved in narcotics and an associate of crime kingpin Whitey Bulger and the Winter Hill Gang during the 1980s and 1990s. He was indicted on c0caine trafficking charges in 1990 and served 12 years in prison.

RED's LINKS

- BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061232890?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_mwn_dp_5P2SY44SCFH14TVAZ41N&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_mwn_dp_5P2SY44SCFH14TVAZ41N&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_mwn_dp_5P2SY44SCFH14TVAZ41N&peakEvent=1&dealEvent=0&language=en-US&bestFormat=true&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaf0Ej0JQTXIqCcImubEXok1bTyf9eQLNr1B1GMcuMybTL7eC9kT0S-GQ0hMPQ_aem_XyxfLirrBxvbbgi-WdJ5Hg

- WEBSITE: https://johnredshea.com/

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****TIMESTAMPS****

0:00 - Intro

1:09 - “Whose car we taking,” advising Mark Wahlberg, Boston Rats

7:48 - Whitey Bulger’s meetings w/ FBI Agents, Red’s stance on rats

15:01 - DEA & FBI talk on Whitey story; Whitey corners Red in basement

22:45 - Growing up in Southie Boston

24:59 - Red’s father dies, how Red viewed his mom & dad

28:44 - 5-year-old Red grabs knife (story), Red starts boxing

37:01 - Red’s fights w/ boxing legend Micky Ward, Red goes pro, Lou Esa story

44:47 - Red’s trainer (and drug facilitator), Red’s relationship w/ mom before death

49:56 - Red’s sister’s tragic death, Red’s pulls knife on older sister (story)

1:02:39 - Red’s mom dies & he honors her last wish, Red’s view now on his criminal life

1:07:06 - When Red learned never to rat on anybody ever

1:09:42 - Living in California, bisexual Dolphin attacks

1:15:43 - Red gets back into the coke business in Boston, Red get his own coke connect (story)

1:26:38 - Whitey’s guys pull up on Red

1:30:55 - Red meet Whitey for the first time (story), Red stands up to Whitey (story)

1:39:04 - How to cut c*ke

1:41:33 - Red becomes Whitey’s lead dealer

1:47:57 - The Winter Hill Gang, Irish Gang Brotherhood, Power, Doing Blow

1:57:15 - George Washington’s Boston Ploy

1:59:10 - Red’s family’s opinion on his criminal career

2:01:09 - Red’s meetings w/ Whitey running the business, “The Insult” story, Red emulates Whitey

2:16:17 - Steve Flemmi & Kevin Weekes become rats

2:19:34 - Red goes down (story)

2:30:20 - Red bailed out, Catching wiretaps

2:34:50 - Indictment comes down, FBI asks Red to rat

2:38:47 - Case gets put on back burner, Red’s attorney goes to Mass AG for help

3:43:54 - Red finds out Whitey is rat (story), Red still refuses to rat

2:50:24 - Red on the world’s biggest, filthy, cheese-eating, rat-b*stard Matt Cox

2:55:16 - Red’s dream about Whitey

2:57:18 - Whitey caught in Santa Monica, Red almost catches Whitey (story)

3:01:05 - Red accidentally almost k1lls Johnny Depp

3:07:09 - The Whitey Bulger Trial & Red’s involvement

3:10:53 - Whitey whacked, Red’s reaction

3:14:53 - Red walked the talk

CREDITS:

- Host & Producer: Julian Dorey

- Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ

Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 296 - Red Shea

Music by Artlist.io

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