This article explores the legal frameworks surrounding confidential informants (CIs), the truth behind leaked lists, the risks of seeking this information, and how law enforcement protects identities. 1. What is a Confidential Informant?
Even informants themselves can become corrupt. In a striking 2025 case from Chicago, Gary Howard—himself a registered confidential informant for Homeland Security Investigations—was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison after cultivating a corrupt relationship with his handler, Special Agent Anthony Sabaini. Howard paid Sabaini thousands of dollars in exchange for sensitive law enforcement information and protection from other agencies. The two men's actions, prosecutors argued, "stained the reputation of HSI and law enforcement at large". confidential informant list for my city exclusive
: The government has a legal "privilege" to withhold the identity of individuals who provide information about crimes. Even informants themselves can become corrupt