ADA News

Boston—Only Osama bin Laden has a higher reward for his capture.

James "Whitey" Bulger, 80, was the leader of the Winter Hill gang, a crime syndicate in Boston, directing extortions, murders, narcotics distribution and trafficking. People have speculated that the Jack Nicholson character in the Oscar-winning Martin Scorsese movie, "The Departed," draws parallels to Mr. Bulger.

"He pretty much took over the city and also worked hand in hand with La Cosa Nostra," said Richard Teahan, supervisory special agent for the Boston Federal Bureau of Investigation.

What does Mr. Bulger have to do with dentistry? Well, Mr. Bulger, who is among the 10 most wanted people in the United States, has been on the run for 15 years and is believed to be traveling with his girlfriend—a former dental hygienist.

Not only is Catherine Greig, 59, a licensed dental hygienist in Boston, but it's believed she has several porcelain dental implants and has her teeth cleaned every month. Mr. Teahan describes Ms. Greig as "extremely vain about her appearance" and said she's been a fugitive since 1997.

The Boston FBI wants the dental community's help, and they're especially interested in finding Ms. Greig.

"We're trying to reach as many dentists as possible throughout the nation," Mr. Teahan said. "This is a way for developing leads for us in locating both her and Bulger."

By placing photos and information about Mr. Bulger and Ms. Greig in the ADA News (FBI poster, page 13), the FBI is hoping a dentist who may have cleaned Ms. Greig's teeth will recognize her and contact the authorities.

"Based on her pattern of living prior to flight, she was extremely concerned about her teeth," Mr. Teahan said.

Ms. Greig is wanted for a harboring charge for aiding and abetting a fugitive. Mr. Bulger is being sought for his role in numerous murders committed from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s.

Mr. Bulger has a Boston accent, pronouncing words such as "idea" as "idear" and "mother" as "mothah," said Gail Marcinkiewicz, special agent and media spokeswoman for the Boston FBI. He is known to have a violent temper and always carry a knife.

Ms. Greig is white, 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs between 130-150 pounds. Mr. Bulger is also white, stands 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 9 inches tall, has white or silver hair and blue eyes and weighs around 150-160 pounds.

The FBI website describes Mr. Bulger as an avid reader with an interest in history, frequenting libraries and historic sites. He may be taking heart medication and maintains his physical fitness by walking on beaches and in parks with Ms. Greig.

The couple love animals and Mr. Bulger has been known to alter his appearance through disguises.

There's a reward of up to $2 million for anyone who provides information that leads to Mr. Bulger and Ms. Greig's location. Those with any information about the couple should call 1-617-742-5533 or e-mail findwhitey@ic.fbi.gov.

Additional information about Mr. Bulger and Ms. Greig is available on the FBI's website.

Editor's note: The ADA Division of Legal of Affairs here addresses the FBI's statement on page 13 in the May 17 ADA News concerning the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act:

The FBI notice on page 13 of the ADA News states that "disclosing that you have treated these individuals would not violate the privacy protections of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 164.512(f)(2)." Under specified circumstances, this section of the HIPAA Privacy Rule permits a covered entity to disclose certain limited protected health information (PHI) to law enforcement officials without an individual's written authorization.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/faq/permitted/law/505.html, disclosures for law enforcement purposes are permitted to "respond to a request for PHI for purposes of identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person; but the covered entity must limit disclosures of PHI to name and address, date and place of birth, social security number, ABO blood type and Rh factor, type of injury, date and time of treatment, date and time of death, and a description of distinguishing physical characteristics. Other information related to the individual's DNA, dental records, body fluid or tissue typing, samples, or analysis cannot be disclosed under this provision, but may be disclosed in response to a court order, warrant, or written administrative request."

For a more complete understanding of the conditions and requirements for such disclosures, visit the HHS website to review the exact regulatory text at 45 CFR § 164.512(f)(2).

In addition to HIPAA, covered entities must also comply with certain applicable state privacy laws, including those that are more stringent than HIPAA. Dental practices that are not HIPAA-covered entities must comply with applicable state law regarding the privacy of patient information. Violating privacy laws can result in potential liability, including significant monetary penalties. Dentists are strongly encouraged to consult legal counsel prior to disclosing information about a patient to a law enforcement official.