And in detail about the special operation «honey trap» from the KGB/FSB. By the way — Epstein is only the tip of the iceberg.
«Honey trap» is a separate direction of work since the times of the NKVD. It is known for certain that during the KGB times, the PGU (First Main Directorate of the KGB) was responsible for it — this immediately demonstrates how seriously the Soviets took this. They never spared money for this program, and it became the most effective element of intelligence.
One of the most famous examples is the «romance» of Albert Einstein and Margarita Konenkova.
When they first met in 1935, Einstein was 56, and Konenkova was 39. She was the wife of the famous sculptor Sergei Konenkov, who was «accidentally» chosen to make a sculpture of Einstein. From the first day of their acquaintance, the girl did not leave the scientist, and their «romance» instantly took off. Thanks to her natural charm, Margarita inspired Einstein with the ideas necessary for the party, a love of Russian culture, and even persuaded him to meet with the Soviet consul. Albert was miraculously saved from becoming an informant by Stalin, who believed that in the role of a “useful idiot” the scientist would be many times more useful to the Soviet Union. In 1945, Konenkova and her family were recalled to their homeland in the USSR, and they never saw Einstein again. The quality of the intelligence officer’s work can be judged by the fact that he secretly wrote more than a dozen love poems for her. Another example of the quality of Soviet intelligence work was Eleanor Roosevelt’s lover, who turned out to be an NKVD agent and was able to become a “strong support” for the first lady of the United States after she learned of her husband’s betrayal. Thanks to her information, another Soviet agent, Alger Hiss (a Soviet agent convicted by the Commission for the Investigation of Un-American Activities), convinced Roosevelt not to demand from Stalin guarantees of security and free democratic elections for Poland and all territories occupied by Soviet troops. Hiss was also able to convince the US president not to force Stalin to follow human rights and weaken the cannibalistic regime in the Soviet Union. Thus, US assistance to the USSR in the fight against fascist Germany was not tied to any requirements for democratization and reduction of repressive pressure. De facto, Alger Hiss, as head of the Office of Special Political Relations, which was responsible for strategic planning, became the main American negotiator at the Yalta Conference, where the fate of post-war Europe was decided. He was also responsible for the creation of the UN in a way that was extremely beneficial to the USSR. The result of the activities of Eleanor Roosevelt and Alger Hiss was that:
The Allies sold Poland to the Soviet Union, literally returning it to the clutches of the Russian Empire. This was a completely unacceptable act, because Britain entered the war precisely because of the joint invasion of Poland by Germany and the USSR. Also, Polish pilots literally saved Britain from complete defeat in the air by the Wehrmacht troops.
Hundreds of thousands of people who fled to the West from the persecution of the NKVD were deported to the Soviet Union, where their fate was unknown.
In modern times, an extremely successful example of a honey trap was the mother-in-law of oligarch Roman Abramovich, Elena Zhukova, who married media mogul Rupert Murdoch (second photo). The empire of this billionaire includes the largest media outlets, such as the Wall Street Journal, Fox and the Times.
As for Epstein himself, here we have a vivid example of another alleged FSB agent, Ghislaine Maxwell (first photo). Her involvement in Russian intelligence has not been formally proven, but all the facts point to it.
Ghislaine was the daughter of Soviet spy Robert Maxwell. She was arrested by the US FBI in July 2020 and charged with soliciting minors and trafficking minors for sex. In December 2021, she was found guilty of five of six counts, including human trafficking. In June 2022, she received 20 years in prison.
Maxwell met Jeffrey Epstein in the early 1990s at a party in New York, and they immediately found common ground. Her connections, inherited from her father, were extremely necessary for Epstein. Ghislaine, in turn, gained access to the powerful of this world — from Prince Andrew to Trump.
How Maxwell worked:
She found vulnerable young girls (often from poor families, in spas, schools)
She prepared them for Epstein’s «massages»
Personally taught them sexual practices
Normalized the violence with her presence as an «older woman»
She managed the logistics of transportation between Epstein’s residences
Sometimes personally participated in the violence
This is very similar to the training of KGB agents, who then participated in seduction operations.
Also, in every large hotel where the KGB could reach, special rooms with wiretapping and video recording were equipped. The client who got caught was shown the recorded material and forced to cooperate.
I am sure that we are not aware of all the successful honey trap cases. But here are some more high-profile examples:
William John Christopher Vassall (1924–1996), clerk in the British Admiralty.
Vassall, isolated because of his homosexuality (then a criminal offense) and class After his humiliation at the embassy, he became an easy target. On March 19, 1955, he was invited to a party, where he was given drinks and photographed in compromising positions with several men. Under pressure from blackmail, he agreed to cooperate and handed over thousands of secret documents on British radar technology, torpedoes, and anti-submarine equipment. After his transfer, he was thrown in a garbage dump, and in Britain he received 18 years in prison.
Maurice Dejean (1899–1982), French ambassador to the USSR, a personal friend of de Gaulle.
The operation involved over 100 KGB officers under the command of Oleg Gribanov. After an unsuccessful attempt to seduce Dejean through Khovanskaya, the KGB used actress Larisa Kronberg-Sobolevskaya. During the meeting, her «husband» (a KGB agent) broke in and brutally beat the ambassador. Dejan asked for help from a “Soviet friend” — also a KGB agent.
Having calmed down a little, the “man” threatened the ambassador with a police report. To avoid a scandal, Dejan had to turn to his Moscow acquaintances for help, and they, of course, provided it. That same evening, Dejan met with Gribanov, who was introduced to him as an advisor to the Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, Gorbunov. Gorbunov/Gribanov promised to help. In return, Dejan was required to provide the Soviet government with a small favor. Thus began a long-standing collaboration between the French ambassador and the KGB.
Sergeant Clayton J. Lonetree (born 1961), a security guard at the US Embassy in Moscow.
KGB agent Violetta Seyna met Lonetree at a Marine Corps ball in November 1985 — on the eve of the Gorbachev-Reagan summit, where Lonetree provided security. The romantic relationship developed into recruitment. Lonetree gave plans for embassies in Moscow and Vienna, names and photos of 9 CIA officers, and a telephone directory.
John Watkins (1902–1964), Canadian ambassador to the USSR.
Watkins was photographed having homosexual contact with agent «Kamal.» The KGB demanded that he «be friendly» to Soviet interests. Watkins reported the incident to Ottawa but concealed the sexual nature of the incident. After being exposed by the defectors, the RCMP interrogated him in Paris and London. On October 12, 1964, Watkins died of a heart attack during interrogation in a Montreal hotel.
James Hudson, Deputy Consul General of Great Britain in Yekaterinburg.
A 4-minute, 18-second video titled «The Adventures of Mr. Hudson in Russia» appeared on the website http://informacia.ru
. The recording showed Hudson in a hotel room with two women, champagne, and sex. The site hinted at additional material about gambling and “soft drugs.”
Béla Kovács, Hungarian MEP (2010–2019).
This is a story that features a true honey trap veteran, Svitlana Istoshina — she was simultaneously married to a Japanese nuclear physicist, an Austrian criminal, and Kovács.
Kovács met Svitlana in Tokyo around 1979–1980. Kovács’s father confirmed that a Hungarian intelligence officer at the embassy had warned him: Svitlana was a KGB courier. She traveled around Europe and Asia on “missions.” Kovács became a MEP, traveled to Moscow every month, organized trips to Russia for Jobbik party leaders, and observed the 2014 “referendum” in Crimea. I am sure that he had a very good influence on the current situation between Hungary and Ukraine.
Viktor Shenderovich (satirist), Mikhail Fishman (editor of Newsweek), Ilya Yashin, Roman Dobrokhotov and other opposition figures.
Gerasimova systematically lured Kremlin critics by inviting them to an apartment with hidden cameras. She offered threesomes, cocaine, marijuana. Shenderovich’s video was released two days before his daughter’s wedding. It is alleged that Yashin and Dobrokhotov recognized the trap and fled, but judging by Yashin’s statements, I would not be sure of this.
NRA leadership, Republican politicians, Trump’s entourage.
Agent: Maria Butina (born 1988), founder of the organization «Right to Guns». Butina systematically infiltrated the NRA and conservative circles, attending conventions as a «guest of honor.» In July 2015, she personally asked Trump about sanctions against Russia. She lived with Republican operative Paul Erickson — twice her age — which prosecutors said was a “necessary aspect of her job.” Prosecutors initially alleged that she offered sex in exchange for a position (this charge was later reduced). Sentenced in April 2019 to 18 months for conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Deported to Russia in October 2019.
David Franklin Slater (63–64), a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, worked at U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).
In August 2021, he was approached by an FSB agent posing as a Ukrainian. Slater had TOP SECRET clearance and attended classified briefings on Russia’s war against Ukraine. He used a dating site messenger to transmit classified information about military targets and Russian capabilities until April 2022. He pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy to disclose national defense information. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
A huge number of honey traps remain undetected and are still operating. It is important to note that this is just one of the methods of operation SB — there is also blackmail, bribery, murder, etc. This is not a hopeless situation, it is a danger that must be recognized and methodically fought.
From Twitter
Denys Shtilierman @DenShtilierman
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