false flag

noun

a hostile or harmful action (such as an attack) that is designed to look like it was perpetrated by someone other than the person or group responsible for it

A ruse, in the days of sail, in which an attacking ship would fly the colours of its enemy until close enough to open fire.
A diversionary or propaganda tactic of deceiving an adversary into thinking that an operation was carried out by another party.
“Using what the bureau calls a "False Flag" operation, F.B.I. agents posing as Russian intelligence officers contacted Mr. Pitts in August 1995, long after it believed he had ceased his spying activities, and feigned interest in reactivating him as a means of confirming his spying activities and determining how much information he may have provided to Moscow.”
“Now, that is not just offensive, it’s stupid. If the government had actually hired child actors, there is no way their stage parents would have stopped talking about it. “Well, he didn’t get the Tide commercial, but he did book a leading role in a government-sponsored false-flag attack! It’s the same director who did the moon landing! We’re very excited!””

To target someone or something with a false flag or ruse.
“He instinctively false-flagged Arthur's information. There was no reason to expose the CIA or one of its deep-cover agents.”
“Some of its best agents have been Arabs false-flagged to believe that they were being paid by some other country or alliance.”