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They compiled a profile of McLarnon and devised an undercover scheme tailor-made for him. That assignment went to Special Agent Gibeley.įBI agents communicated with McLarnon using a fake Gmail account and posing as the informant. They determined the best way to thwart an attack was to send in an undercover agent to pose as a black-market arms dealer. He posted homemade videos on his YouTube channel about alleged judicial corruption and claims of state-sponsored kidnapping and government cover-ups.Īgents believed McLarnon's threat to kill government officials was legitimate and they needed to act quickly. The FBI found that McLarnon had a deep-seated resentment against the court system after a judge awarded McLarnon's ex-wife custody of their son following a bitter divorce. The FBI learned from an informant that McLarnon wanted to illegally purchase a cache of weapons to murder federal judge Dennis Saylor, former Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, and former homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco. One such moment came in October 2015 when the FBI received a tip about a Massachusetts man named Edward McLarnon, an anti-government conspiracy theorist who was allegedly plotting to assassinate high-ranking public officials.
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"But nonetheless, my proudest moments in the FBI are having the opportunity to be a part of some of the most incredible teams." "It's been tough on my family … and it's been challenging at times over the years. Living a double life wasn't easy, and often took its toll on Gibeley. Because of their undercover work, the FBI was able to convict several La Cosa Nostra members, including Guglielmetti. They funneled their alleged profits to Guglielmetti, gaining his trust and inside access into how the mafia operated. In the Guglielmetti case, Gibeley posed as an office manager for a phony construction business that served as a front to launder drug money. Together, McGowan and Gibeley took on some of the most notorious and dangerous criminals, including Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, and mafioso Matthew Guglielmetti, who ran the New England La Cosa Nostra mob. He wanted to learn," he said, adding, "I have never seen him make the same mistake twice, which is critical in undercover work." Special agents Michael R. "But he was intelligent, he was compassionate about the technique. "Mike was a horrible undercover when he started, as were I," admits McGowan, who retired in 2017. McGowan, who took Gibeley under his wing but spared no mercy when showing him the ropes. That's how Gibeley ended up meeting 30-year FBI veteran Michael R. "I had the opportunity to be working around a lot of really highly experienced undercovers, which gave me the opportunity to be an apprentice and learn along the way." He completed the FBI's required certification school in 2001, moving up the ranks and assisting his senior colleagues in a number of roles. Gibeley began his undercover career after just two years with the bureau.
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