I recently watched the 1988 HBO documentary about Michael Russell who was undercover in the Genovese NJ faction.

Im slightly confused about the guy, about whether he was a CI or an undercover agent?

From what I read he apparently was never a state trooper but was just a corrupt ex-cop who started rubbing shoulders with OC and then decided to become an informant to stay out of jail. He has also been proven to lie quite frequently in his book and the documentary.

The documentary is attached below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSOcG4j1ZvI