Former CIA agent John Kiriakou reveals how sex plays a major role in espionage and spying

It can be a very dark and nasty world to operate in. Trust runs low, and you never know who could be working what angle.

One of the biggest plays some intelligence sources use?

Sex.

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou has become one of the most famous former intelligence agents in the country. He's blown up in the media over the past year, and he's never afraid to discuss taboo intelligence topics.

"The CIA since its inception has been involved in sexual operations, sexual espionage. Certainly, sex was a well-documented component of MK Ultra, which lasted from about 1952 to 1975. People are going to jump on my head for saying it ended in 1975. It ended in 1975. Certainly, there are other operations that could be considered successors to MK Ultra, but MK Ultra ended in '75. You talked about Operation Midnight Climax. That's one of the more famous ones. It's one of those operations that we talk about today in 2026, and you just have to shake your head and ask semi-rhetorically, what in the world were they thinking? But yeah, I mean, sex was used routinely well into the late 70s, the early 80s," Kiriakou explained during a recent interview with Jay Dyer.

He further explained that the Russians and Israelis are famous for using "honeypots" in espionage activities. Honeypots are intelligence agents who use sex as a tool to gain information on their targets. The former CIA officer revealed the United States used to do the same, but ended the practice around the time President Ronald Reagan took office because it wasn't viewed as efficient.

You can listen to Kiriakou's full explanation in the video below starting around 3:30, and make sure to let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Kiriakou is far from the only intelligence operative who has discussed sex as an espionage tool. Former Russian honeypot spy Aliia Roza spoke at length with Shawn Ryan about the same topic.

It's worth noting that individuals who work in sensitive areas or could be targets of such operations often receive extensive training on how to identify and stop any such attempts.

The general rule of thumb is simple.

Would this person talk to you in your hometown bar?

If the answer is no, then you're probably be worked.

What do you think of Kiriakou's comments? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.