> They are not recruited.

According to : https://legalbeagle.com/7801964-become-fbi-informant.html

"There are several ways to become an FBI informant. The most common way to become an FBI informant is to be approached by the FBI. If the FBI has identified you as a person who has a connection to a criminal enterprise, activity or target, the Bureau may approach you to provide it with information."

What specific distinction are you drawing between the FBI "approaching someone to be an informant" and the FBI "recruiting" an informant? Because most native English speakers would consider those synonymous. I understand what an informant is. Please clarify how you think a person goes from being a non-informant to being an informant, if you think nobody in the FBI is involved in picking people to be selected as informants?