> This man, let’s call him Frank, was in trouble for some financial infraction. Frank cut a deal with the authorities. They’d go easy on him if he’d wear a wire and lure Gideon into plotting to burn down his building.

Is it common practice to take someone who is in trouble for an unrelated crime, and use it to coerce them into being what amounts to an unpaid undercover police officer?

I mean, I understand the idea of arresting someone from a criminal gang and then getting them to wear a wire to catch the big boss. But the way this is written it sounds like the two men didn't know each other.

Am I missing something here? Because that sounds incredibly unethical and I'm surprised if it's legal.