if so, this isn’t a particularly helpful bust, just a showy one
It’s unfortunate but I believe it’s very common practice for the FBI/BATF — the investigatory type agencies. It accounts for why they want to remain super secret on their procedures. It usually involves 1-3 people, 1 being the most common because the more people involved the more the Lure will become a suspected plant.
There have been a few prominent ones over the years. I can only go as far back to Randy Weaver. That was well publicized, but I also remember a few others but can’t give you the specifics.
Isn’t it obvious that this is what the FBI or whatever agency tried to do with the Trump campaign?