White Boy Rick

Richard Wershe Jr., infamously known as "White Boy Rick," became the youngest FBI informant in history at age 14, operating within the volatile drug landscape of 1980s Detroit. Recruited by federal agents to infiltrate local gangs, Wershe was provided with cash and status that effectively funneled him into the very drug trade he was meant to expose. His trajectory highlights systemic corruption, linking the Curry gang to high-ranking Detroit police officials and City Hall figures. Although Wershe provided critical intelligence for successful operations like "Operation Backbone," he was ultimately abandoned by his handlers and sentenced to life without parole under Michigan’s draconian "650 Lifer Law." He remained incarcerated for over three decades, long after his associates were released, before finally securing his freedom in 2020 after a protracted legal battle and public advocacy.