Nvidia CEO's Affair Spotlights Spy's Oldest Trick: The Honey Trap

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang's affair with a woman accused by Washington of working for Chinese intelligence has spotlighted the "honey trap," an age-old espionage tactic using seduction to steal secrets or gain influence. Beijing denies the claim. The woman, Alice Huang, held a senior role at Singaporean firm Megaspeed, which did business with Nvidia, and was allegedly recruited by China's state security ministry, per researcher Clement Renault. Historical cases include Mata Hari, executed in 1917, and Cold War incidents like French ambassador Maurice Dejean's 1964 recall. Honey traps vary from trained "Romeo Spies" targeting lonely West German women to sex workers and business executives. Intelligence services widely use such "compromise" operations, though authoritarian states may be better equipped to run them. Officials advise caution if interest seems "too good to be true."