“In what realm is this legal? Honorable? Ethical?”
In the USA today and it isn’t going away. The guy that got Randy Weaver to saw off the shot gun barrel was a ATF informant.
Yes I know. He had to practically break Weaver’s arm to get him to do something he could have done himself with a hacksaw blade. NEVER let a friend you haven’t known all your life talk you into doing something illegal.