We spent three months interviewing retired FBI agents, state public record officers, and defense attorneys to uncover the truth about the "exclusive confidential informant list." First, let’s kill a Hollywood trope. Most cities do not keep a single, laminated "Confidential Informant (CI) Master List" taped to the detective bureau fridge.
is the killer. It protects records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes that "could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source." confidential informant list for my city exclusive
Unless you are a defense attorney with a court order or a federal agent with a warrant, that list will remain exclusive —exclusively out of your reach. We spent three months interviewing retired FBI agents,
Consider the story of , who in 2018 pieced together informant identities using cross-referenced court filings. He published what he called an "exclusive" list on a Substack. Within 72 hours, one of the names he published was found dead in a motel room. The coroner ruled it a suicide. The local PD suspected the cartel. It protects records or information compiled for law
Possessing a CI list is not a First Amendment trophy. In many jurisdictions, exposing a confidential informant can be prosecuted as (18 U.S.C. § 1510) or Witness Tampering . If the informant is killed, you could face conspiracy to commit murder charges, even if you only "shared a PDF." The Legal Way to See the List (Sort Of) If you are a journalist or a defendant, there is one legitimate door: The civil asset forfeiture audit.