To scare them into flipping too.
If you leak a false story about somewhat flipping—that puts them in fear of their life—since they worry that their associates will believe they flipped and will not believe their denials.
Then they really flip in exchange for protection and relocation.
That is an old trick from organized crime investigations.
Let there be no mistake—the coup plotters will not hesitate to kill one of their own to stop them from talking.
His name was Seth Rich.