The honeypot trap is a tried-and-true tactic for spies hoping to prey on lonely men with access to state secrets.
Perhaps the most notable plot in recent years was the one launched against Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), but he is far from alone in being targeted.
Now, a former spy has just come clean with how people in this realm target certain types of individuals and then carry out their plans to obtain state secrets.
If the name rings a bell, it is because he was a Marine security guard who fell for a honeypot scheme involving a Russian spy in the 1980s.
Lonetree met a Russian woman named Violetta Seina at a Marine Corps Ball in 1985, someone he thought was a telephone operator at the Moscow Embassy, but she was also working as a spy for the KGB.
She later introduced him to her “uncle,” who was really KGB operative Aleksey Yefimov, who eventually convinced Lonetree to work for the Russians, turning over confidential information, including embassy floor plans, secret cables, and U.S. arms reduction numbers.
Lonetree was eventually caught, then sentenced to 30 years in prison. After he was arrested, he cooperated with authorities, had his sentence reduced to 25 years, only wound up serving nine, and was ultimately released in 1996.
Christine Fang, or Fang Fang, as she has come to be known, embedded herself in Swalwell’s campaign efforts in 2014 and quickly worked her way into relationships with at least two mayors, while also catching Swalwell's eye.
Even though she reportedly never gained access to critical information, authorities stated that this "was a big deal, because there were some really, really sensitive people that were caught up.”
Swalwell was made aware of official concerns in 2015, and he reportedly broke off contact with Fang Fang at that point.
An investigation was launched into the relationship, but it was eventually dropped, and no action was taken against the congressman.
Using sex as a way to crack intelligence agencies is nothing new, as this has been going on for decades, centuries even. However, dating apps and social media have made it much easier to target those possessing sensitive information.
Former CIA operative J. Michael Waller explained, "They take advantage of the fact that people are lonely or just want to have a good time or, you know, need company or whatever else. They do what's been done since biblical times. They use sex as a weapon."
Aliia Roza, a former Russian "sex spy," recently came clean on how these honeypot scams work. She explained, "It starts with love bombing -- messages full of compliments, selfies, bikini photos. They pretend to be weak or alone: ‘My parents were killed, I’m a student, I’m broke.’ It triggers the hero instinct. Every man wants to feel like the rescuer."
I would bet there are plenty of people reading this right now who have received notifications on dating sites or even messaging apps, like Telegram, from some random women who want to be their friend. The honeypot scandal is not just limited to government secrets, as these scam artists are also looking to empty people’s bank accounts. They play the long game, then suddenly drop the bomb about a Bitcoin investment or something similar. Trust me, if she seems like she is out of your league, she is probably a scam artist, especially if you have access to government information.
