"Ironically, it appears that Merlino and many of those charged Thursday were in fact the targets of an FBI undercover investigation in which cooperating witnesses, some wearing audio and video recording equipment, infiltrated the groups. The investigation includes hundreds of hours of taped conversations.
Merlino met frequently with at least one cooperator who recorded him and dozens of others, according to a law enforcement source who worked in Florida.
“Not only are you going to hear these guys,” said the source, “but you’re going to see them talking.”"
