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Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio previously worked as a “prolific” undercover informant for local and federal law enforcement — leading to the prosecution of more than a dozen people, according to a new report.
Tarrio, 36, began cooperating with authorities following his 2012 arrest on fraud charges in cases involving drugs, gambling and human smuggling.
Details of Tarrio’s secret work were lodged in a transcript from a 2014 court proceeding in Miami and obtained by the outlet.
Tarrio’s lawyer Jeffrey Feiler had asked for leniency in his client’s sentence after he and two co-defendants pleaded guilty to relabeling and selling stolen diabetes test kits, the report said.
Feiler said in court that Tarrio had worked undercover in numerous probes — including one into the sale of anabolic steroids, another into “wholesale prescription narcotics” and a third that involved human smuggling.
The lawyer called his client a “prolific” cooperator who helped police uncover three marijuana grow houses.
At that same hearing, an FBI agent described Tarrio as a “key component” in local police probes involving marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy.
Tarrio, who is based in Miami, denied working undercover or cooperating with authorities.
“I don’t know any of this,” he told Reuters when asked about the court transcript. “I don’t recall any of this.”
He also denied helping investigate others.