(Bloomberg) -- The head of the far-right Proud Boys movement served as a “prolific” undercover government informant after he was arrested in 2012 for fraud, Reuters reported, citing a former prosecutor and transcripts of a federal court proceeding.

Enrique Tarrio, 36, worked with local and federal law enforcement to help prosecute more than a dozen people in cases involving drugs, gambling and human trafficking, working undercover in investigations of marijuana and pharmaceutical fraud enterprises, Reuters said, citing a transcript of a 2014 hearing in Miami and a statement from former federal prosecutor Vanessa Singh Johannes.

Tarrio and two co-defendants pleaded guilty in a fraud case dealing with the relabeling and sale of stolen diabetes-test kits, and prosecutors and defense attorneys cited the information they provided in arguing for reduced sentences, Reuters reported.

When contacted by Reuters, Tarrio denied working undercover. He acknowledged that his sentence was reduced to 16 months from 30 months, saying that was because he helped clear up questions about his own case, Reuters reported.

A day before the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump, Tarrio was arrested by police in Washington. He was charged with destruction of property “related to an offense” that occurred on Dec. 12 and found to be in possession of two high-capacity firearm magazines, Reuters said.

The Proud Boys was founded in 2016 to protest political correctness and perceived restraints on masculinity, and the group evolved to embrace street fighting at public demonstrations, Reuters said.

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