In a Freedom of Information Act obtained by USA Today, it was found that the FBI authorized over 5600 cases of “Otherwise Illegal Activity” for its informants. This allowed said informants to commit crimes without punishment.
Via USA Today
Date: January 31, 2012
To: Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Aw.
NW 1535 Command Drive. Suite A309
Andrews AFB, MD 20762-7001
Arm: Lanny A. Breuer
Assistant Attorney General
Criminal Division
From: Eric Velez-Villar
Assistant Director
Directorate of Intelligence Division
Subject: Federal Bureau of Investigation Annual Otherwise Illegal Activity Report.
This letter provides you with information regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Otherwise Illgal Activity (OIA). According to the Attorney General's Guidelines regarding the use of FBI Confidential Human Sources, the FBI shall maintain a file for each Confidential Human Source containing (CHS) all the written authorizations, findings, and instructions regarding Tier 1 Otherwise Illegal Activity, as required under Section V(B) of these Guidelines.
At the end of each calendar year, the FBI shall report to the AAG ofthe Criminal Division and the National Security Division the total number of times each FBI field authorized a CHS to engage in OIA as well as the overall nationwide totals.
Therefore, in compliance with the Attorny General Guideline's, the FBI is providing a listing of all approved OIA Tier I and Tier II for calendar year 2011. This report encompasses all fifty-six FBI field offices. The point of contact for the FBI is Acting Unit Chief, Supervisory Special Agent [...] Directorate of Intelligence, Domain Collection HUMINT Management Section, Human Intelligence Management Unit I, A/UC [...] can be reached by STE telephone at [...]
Confidential Human Source Program
DOJ Annual Report Otherwise Illegal Activity (OIA) ~ Tier I & II
January 1, 2011 — December 31, 2011
...
Grand Total
Tier I & II
5658