Yep, imagine fighting for what's right, then admitting you were wrong when cornered!!
knowing how governments operate, I wouldn't be surprised if they intimidated him behind closed doors
Discussion
That doesn't mean you should plead guilty.
https://legalclarity.org/what-does-pleading-guilty-mean-in-a-criminal-case/
If you really want to fight, then stand your ground, no matter what. But ofc was all a setup, an arrangement. In few months people will not hear about them anymore and will be free, somewhere where nobody knows...
Remember the ANOM case...