Intelligence experts warn that attractive women tied to Chinese and Russian networks have reportedly used romantic and social tactics to cultivate relationships with U.S. tech employees and obtain sensitive information. Sources describe cases ranging from suspicious conference attendees to an alleged long‑term placement where a woman married a U.S. aerospace employee. Authorities — including the National Counterintelligence and Security Center — have issued advisories urging vigilance and reporting of suspicious recruiters or unsolicited approaches. Security specialists recommend stronger vetting, employee training, and prompt reporting of unusual contacts.
Foreign Women Allegedly Using Romance to Harvest U.S. Tech Secrets — Experts Warn
Intelligence experts warn that attractive women tied to Chinese and Russian networks have reportedly used romantic and social tactics to cultivate relationships with U.S. tech employees and obtain sensitive information. Sources describe cases ranging from suspicious conference attendees to an alleged long‑term placement where a woman married a U.S. aerospace employee. Authorities — including the National Counterintelligence and Security Center — have issued advisories urging vigilance and reporting of suspicious recruiters or unsolicited approaches. Security specialists recommend stronger vetting, employee training, and prompt reporting of unusual contacts.
02:16, 06.11.2025Security
Foreign Women Allegedly Using Romance to Harvest U.S. Tech Secrets
Intelligence and counterintelligence experts warn that attractive foreign women linked to Chinese and Russian networks have reportedly cultivated relationships with U.S. technology personnel to obtain proprietary information. Security specialists say these approaches range from social and romantic contact to long‑term placement inside a target’s personal and professional life.
“I’m getting an enormous number of very sophisticated LinkedIn requests from the same type of attractive young Chinese woman,”— James Mulvenon, chief intelligence officer at risk‑assessment firm Pamir Consulting, who says the pattern of approaches appears to have increased recently.
According to a former U.S. counterintelligence officer now working in the tech sector, investigators have documented cases in which women obtained employment at sensitive companies and then cultivated close relationships with colleagues. In one reported instance, a Russian woman is said to have married an employee at a U.S. aerospace firm while collecting sensitive information.
“Showing up, marrying a target, having kids with a target and conducting a lifelong collection operation. It’s very uncomfortable to think about, but it’s so prevalent,”the former officer said, describing long‑term personal entanglement as a known tactic in some operations.
Security personnel at a recent technology conference in Virginia reportedly denied entry to two attendees of Chinese nationality after concluding their motivations were suspicious. Mulvenon and other observers argue that cultural and legal differences can create an asymmetric advantage for foreign operatives who use romantic approaches as part of information collection.
Officials and analysts note this trend is one element of a broader set of tactics used to penetrate U.S. technology and defense programs. In May, reporting highlighted alleged efforts by actors to recruit recently dismissed federal employees by posing as recruiters offering quick‑pay positions — a method that could be used to extract institutional knowledge.
The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) issued a bulletin advising current and former federal employees to be cautious of suspicious offers and to understand the serious consequences of engaging with unknown recruiters. Agencies stress that employees should report unusual contact and follow established reporting channels.
Other sources have raised concerns about student programs and sponsored researchers: retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely, among others, has said that state‑sponsored tuition programs can place students on campuses in ways that provide access to research, influence, or funding opportunities that could be leveraged for collection.
What experts recommend
Security experts recommend that organizations strengthen vetting procedures for conference attendance and employment, train staff to recognize social engineering and recruitment tactics, and encourage prompt reporting of suspicious contacts, including unusual LinkedIn approaches, unsolicited job offers, or sudden romantic attention from unknown individuals.
Note: Many of the reported cases have been described in tabloid and popular press accounts; while those reports raise important issues, agencies and organizations rely on verified investigations and official advisories when taking action.