Richard Wershe Jr., known by his moniker “White Boy Rick,” rose to significant notoriety in Detroit’s criminal history as one of the youngest FBI informants on record; he was just 14 when he began working with the agency. His turbulent journey from teenage informant to convicted inmate drew widespread media attention and eventually inspired the Hollywood movie “White Boy Rick.” The film, portraying his involvement in the drug trade and subsequent arrest, sketched a vivid picture of his tumultuous youth.
Despite the movie’s success in bringing his story to the public’s eye, many remain curious about whether Wershe Jr. benefited financially from it. His legal entanglements continued even after the movie’s release, including a lawsuit seeking financial compensation from the FBI, reflecting the complexities of his relationship with law enforcement and the consequences of his life choices. Moreover, the public is intrigued by the aftermath of his incarceration, exploring how a figure like Wershe Jr. navigates life after serving a significant prison sentence.
Today, we will talk about did White Boy Rick get any money from the movie.
Key Takeaways
- Richard Wershe Jr.’s life as an informant and subsequent incarceration was dramatized in the movie “White Boy Rick”
- The film brought his story to a wide audience, but the financial gains for Wershe Jr. from the movie are uncertain
- Wershe Jr. has faced continued legal battles and the challenge of rebuilding life post-incarceration
The Real Story of ‘White Boy Rick’
Delving into the life of Richard Wershe Jr., known as ‘White Boy Rick’, unveils a complex narrative entwined with the brutal realities of Detroit’s drug scene in the 1980s—a teenager turned FBI informant, whose story echoes the tumult of the era.
Who Is Richard Wershe Jr.?
Richard Wershe Jr. was engulfed in the gritty crime ecosystem of Detroit from a startlingly young age. Known by his nickname ‘White Boy Rick’, he became an FBI informant when he was just 14 years old. His role was to snoop on the inner workings of drug gangs during the crack epidemic that besieged Detroit. Despite his young age and the supposed protection this role conferred, he led a perilous double life, spiraling into the very crime he was meant to snitch on. At 17, that peril caught up with him when he was caught with 17 pounds of cocaine, leading to his arrest and a sentence to life in prison for drug dealing.
- Nickname: White Boy Rick
- Age as FBI Informant: 14 years old
- Arrest: At age 17
- Conviction: Drug dealing
- Sentence: Life in prison (later commuted)
Detroit in the 1980s
The Motor City was marred by staggering levels of violence and drug abuse during the 1980s. During this decade, Detroit saw the rise of the crack epidemic, with the FBI and Detroit Police desperate to upend the drug networks tearing the city apart. Young Rick found himself amid this storm, as gangs and law enforcement were entrenched in a vicious cycle of crime and crackdowns. This period was marked by heightened surveillance and sting operations as entities like the FBI and Detroit Police intensified the War on Drugs. Wershe’s story is a poignant true tale reflecting the harrowing impact of the era’s justice system, documentary accounts of which continue to reveal the dramatic shifts within the city’s approach to crime and punishment.
From Informant to Inmate
The life of Richard Wershe Jr. swung dramatically from working with the FBI to spending years behind bars. His story is a stark reminder of the complexities and often harsh realities of the justice system.
Richard Wershe Jr.’s Role as an FBI Informant
At just 14 years old, the lad from Detroit was drawn into a perilous game of cat and mouse. Richard, known in the media as ‘White Boy Rick’, was not your typical teen. The FBI enlisted him as their informant to infiltrate the feared Curry Gang, a prominent drug ring that dominated Detroit’s cocaine trade in the 1980s. Young and impressionable, he was tasked to mix with gangsters, feeding information back to the FBI agents. It’s a scenario you can hardly imagine for someone so young – diving into a world of drug lords and hitmen, as the FBI’s eyes and ears inside a gangster’s den.
- Informant Activity: Gathering crucial intel on cocaine operations
- Targets: The Curry Brothers and their gang
- Risk: High threat of retaliation from the gang
Arrest and Life Sentence
Richard’s covert dance with danger came to a jarring halt at the age of 17. He himself fell into the life he was reporting on and was apprehended with a substantial amount of cocaine. While Richard was previously an asset to law enforcement, he quickly became just another face in the courtroom. The very agents he assisted didn’t or perhaps couldn’t spare him from what came next.
In alignment with the severe 650-Lifer Law, Richard was dealt a life sentence without parole for possession of over 650 grams of cocaine. The courtroom didn’t glance at him as the child who had been planted into the underbelly of Detroit, but rather judged him as a full-fledged drug dealer. Interestingly, his sentence stood out for its severity, especially being categorized as a non-violent offender with no prior convictions.
- Trial: Dubbed as a drug dealer with harsh sentencing
- Result: Life imprisonment as per the 650-Lifer Law
- Reality: The irony of a non-violent offender getting such a sentence
He went from the FBI’s youngest informant, residing in a house that was a hub of gang activities, to a man confined within the four walls of a prison cell—the journey from informant to inmate, sealed by a trial and a rigid justice system.
The Film Adaptation of His Life
The story of Richard Wershe Jr.’s life took to the silver screen, depicting his double life as an FBI informant and drug dealer. “White Boy Rick”, a film inspired by true events, captures the turbulent times of 1980s Detroit and the complex life of a teenager nicknamed “White Boy Rick”.
Production and Cast
Directed by Yann Demange, “White Boy Rick” boasts an impressive ensemble including Matthew McConaughey, who portrays Richard Wershe Sr., and newcomer Richie Merritt as Richard Wershe Jr. The movie was a collaborative effort, produced by Studio 8, Protozoa Pictures, LBI Entertainment, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The cast also featured Jonathan Majors, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rory Cochrane, Bruce Dern, and Piper Laurie, bringing to life the dramatic narrative of the young informant and his environment, permeated by backdoor dealings and government manipulation.
Box Office Performance
The film, with a hefty $29 million budget, hit theaters with high expectations. Its theatrical performance was watched closely, as both the story’s gravity and high-profile cast promised potential success. Despite its captivating real-life basis and star-powered roster, the movie’s box office performance reflected a different story. On its opening weekend, it began modestly and the domestic box office numbers came in with underwhelming figures. When looking at the international box office receipts, they did little to bolster the movie’s overall earnings. The worldwide box office tally fell short of the film’s budget, making the financial outcome less than anticipated. However, the movie found a platform at the Telluride Film Festival, where it gained attention and was critiqued by a myriad of film enthusiasts and critics.
But did White Boy Rick get any money from the movie?
Legal and Financial Matters
Richard Wershe Jr.’s story is not just a tale of crime and punishment; it also weaves through intricate legal and financial complexities particularly concerning compensation for his involvement in a film and a sizeable lawsuit against the FBI.
Richard Wershe Jr.’s Compensation
Richard Wershe Jr. became widely known through his story dramatized in the film “White Boy Rick.” While specific details of his compensation for the movie have not been publicly disclosed, contracts in similar situations often involve some payment or royalties. Given his notable life story and the public interest in it, it is reasonable to expect that he or his family, including his father Richard Wershe Sr., might have entered into a contractual agreement that would financially benefit him. Additionally, Wershe’s mother, Verna Wershe, and his sister Dawn might also play a role in the net worth accumulated as a consequence of the movie.
Lawsuit Against the FBI
The legal journey for Richard, who spent years in a Florida prison, extends beyond mere compensation. According to court filings, he filed a lawsuit claiming $100 million from the FBI, asserting they misused him as an informant while he was just a child. His attorney, Nabih Ayad, emphasized the impact of these actions on Wershe’s subsequent life. Despite the compelling nature of his claims, a federal court dismissed the lawsuit, citing that he waited too long to file it. Remarkably, the dismissed lawsuit doesn’t close the door on justice for Wershe; spokespeople and legal experts highlight the potential for appeals or other legal remedies.
Life After Prison
After being granted parole in 2017, Richard Wershe Jr., widely known as White Boy Rick, started a new chapter outside the prison walls. His nearly three-decade-long incarceration, which began when he was a teenager, was marked by controversies, including his coerced role as an informant for federal prosecutors and Detroit police officers.
Once out of prison, Rick faced the challenge of adapting to a world vastly different from the one he left. He moved to Florida, seeking a fresh start away from the Detroit criminal underworld that defined his youth. Despite the heavy title of ‘drug kingpin’ that had followed him, Rick’s conviction was for a single count of drug possession—a non-violent crime.
His notoriety followed him into freedom, leading to an eponymous Hollywood movie that depicted his life. However, whether he received monetary compensation for the film remains unclear. Post-release, without the proceeds from the film to back him up, he has had to rebuild his life from scratch.
Rick has kept a relatively low profile since his release. He has no grand display of wealth, no flashy car or luxurious house to speak of; thus, his net worth isn’t widely known. Far from the hustler image portrayed, Rick’s life now is more about seeking justice and advocating against the laws that led to his disproportionate sentence as a non-violent juvenile offender.
There were no more attempts on his life, no dealing with drug gangs or navigating the dangerous streets that once were his norm. Instead, Rick aims to distance himself from past accusations, like the alleged ties to the scandal involving Mayor Coleman Young of Detroit. He focuses now on what’s ahead, vigilant but hoping for a quieter existence, possibly fantasizing about a peaceful retirement in a place like Las Vegas, free from the tarnished history of being White Boy Rick.
