The Militia and the Mole

John Williams spent more than two years undercover inside modern right-wing militias, posing as a like-minded survivalist and rising to a top state command in one group. He secretly recorded dozens of hours of conversations, copied tens of thousands of chat logs and files onto encrypted drives, and even rifled through the possessions of a claimed Oath Keepers leader. The material documents militia members who include doctors, career police and government attorneys, plots to surveil and intimidate a young journalist, casual talk of assassinating politicians and active efforts to recruit and shield law-enforcement allies. Williams never worked with police or the FBI; fearing retribution, he fled in April 2023 and sent a massive trove of authenticated evidence to reporters. Experts warn that a presidential promise to pardon Jan. 6 participants would likely energize this movement and make understanding its networks more urgent.

Williams’ path into militias grew from a turbulent personal history: time in prison honed his ability to manipulate conversations and survive precarious social hierarchies, and a post-prison life as a wilderness survival instructor provided the cover to embed with paramilitary groups. He describes his mission as private vigilante sabotage, driven by distrust of authorities and a desire to damage the movement from within. His methods raise ethical questions about deception and accountability, while the documents offer a rare, intimate window into a decentralized but resilient armed subculture.