Jailed gangster to be government witness

MIAMI, July 12 (UPI) -- A 71-year-old gangster serving a life sentence will be the key government witness in the prosecution of a retired FBI agent in Miami on a murder charge.

Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi is expected to testify later this month against John J. Connolly Jr., the Boston Globe reported.

Separately, the longtime FBI informant is also expected to testify against former New England Mafia boss Francis ''Cadillac Frank" Salemme in his upcoming federal perjury trial.

There would have no case against the two without the cooperation of Flemmi, the Globe reported.

Flemmi also has made new allegations recently, accusing more former FBI agents of taking payoffs from him and his partner, James ''Whitey" Bulger, the Globe said.

The accusations have drawn angry denials from retired FBI agents and lawyers representing Salemme and Connolly. They say Flemmi is just a bitter gangster using his new status as a witness to get back at people, the report said.