Podcast Summary: Russian Sex Spy | The Hidden Third with Mariana van Zeller
Date: November 19, 2025
Host: Mariana van Zeller
Guest: Aliyah Rosa, former Russian "sex spy"
Episode Overview
In this gripping episode, Mariana van Zeller sits down with Aliyah Rosa, a self-proclaimed former Russian “sex spy” who defected after falling in love with a crime boss. Together, they delve into the secret world of sexpionage—a covert program within Russian (and formerly Soviet) intelligence, where women and sometimes men are extensively trained to use seduction and psychological manipulation as tools of espionage. The conversation covers Aliyah’s harrowing upbringing in post-Soviet Russia, her coerced entry into the intelligence world, the realities and psychological toll of sexpionage, and her controversial and publicly challenged journey to exposing this hidden world.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What Is A Sex Spy?
[01:11–03:00]
- Aliyah explains that “sex spies”—or honeypots—are agents recruited by intelligence agencies (notably KGB and its successors, but not uniquely Russian) to seduce targets, extract information, and sometimes manipulate or eliminate threats. The concept originated during WWII and was heavily formalized in the Soviet era.
- "These ladies had to go and seduce targets wherever whoever could be, get information, deliver this information to the commander, to the government, and then just be basically the puppets." – Aliyah [02:30]
2. Aliyah’s Soviet Background and Family Pressure
[03:05–17:50]
- Born in the USSR to a family of military officers; moved often due to her father’s career, finally settling in Moscow post-1991.
- Experienced racism as the only Asian girl in her class, leading to a sense of outsiderness.
- Her father ingrained patriotism and military discipline—and even tactical and psychological training—into her from a young age.
- "I was the only one Asian girl in the school with all these, you know, kids, blonde, blue eyes. So I was bullied." – Aliyah [04:20]
- She was pressured into the intelligence academy straight after high school, despite her personal desire to pursue fashion.
3. Recruitment & Training as a Sexpionage Agent
[19:02–58:17]
- Aliyah describes her compulsory immersion into secret intelligence work:
- Initial assignment in crime investigation → moved to drug enforcement (FSKN), focusing on operations established by Putin to combat Afghan drug trade.
- Sexpionage program is highly secretive; even family is not informed.
- Male sex spies known as "Romeos," females as "Swallows" (e.g., reference to popular culture's "Red Sparrow").
- Training involved:
- Psychological manipulation, seduction, persuasion, body language
- Weapons and combat, extreme driving, and confidence building
- Specialized sexual techniques for seduction (with extensive practical instruction)
- "80% of our education were psychological techniques which are manipulation, influence, seduction, sex techniques and. And persuasion. All these techniques are very important for recruiting your targets." – Aliyah [26:54]
4. Real-World Missions & Moral Complexity
[08:19–36:38, 69:15–81:08]
- Initial targets for Aliyah were not political, but criminal: human traffickers, pedophiles, and dangerous crime bosses.
- Aliyah discusses her participation in "terminating" criminal targets, expressing a longstanding internal struggle between guilt and rationalization:
- "I used to feel like a murderer… But again, on another hand, I feel like a hero." [34:42]
- She recounts an operation where, after seducing a target, she allowed her team to enter and kill the individual. The psychological toll of those missions haunted her for years.
- The culture within her department was deeply corrupt, and she eventually realized she was being used in the service of personal gain—money and power—not justice.
5. Abuse Within The System
[19:06–58:17]
- Aliyah recounts systemic sexual abuse suffered by herself and other recruits—rape was used as a "training tool" for future sexpionage agents to "disassociate" from their bodies and prevent emotional attachments to targets.
- "They disassociate your body from your emotions… where as a future female agents… you would never have any attachments to your target." [53:58]
- The experience fundamentally changed her relationship with sex and trust.
6. Technique Insights: The Psychology of Seduction
[35:21–46:10]
- Aliyah shares nuts-and-bolts elements of seduction training:
- Bond-building through shared interests and emotional mimicry
- Non-verbal body language—posture, open gestures, touch, and appearance management
- Subtle psychological mirroring and anchoring
- "The art of seduction… is to establish trust through building bond." [35:36]
- They also learned practical sexual techniques (detailed sexual acts were taught—including the infamous "spy blowjob").
- She now coaches women using these principles for confidence and empowerment.
7. Question of Credibility and Public Doubt
[86:00–99:17]
- Mariana addresses widespread public and journalistic doubts about Aliyah’s story, notably a Vice documentary accusing Aliyah of fabricating evidence (e.g., faked photos, posh Airbnb pretending to be her home, fake friends at a party).
- Aliyah claims the Vice crew manipulated the story, asking her to stage settings and selectively edit footage.
- Mariana weighs journalistic due diligence with Aliyah’s answers and gives listeners space to decide on authenticity.
8. Defection and Present-Day Risks
[81:41–108:08]
- After the murder of her crime boss lover (Vladimir), whom Aliyah was tasked to infiltrate but eventually sought to protect, she fled Russia fear for her safety from both government and criminals.
- Following a circuitous escape route (Turkey → Greece → Switzerland → London → US), she was advised by US immigration lawyers to go public as a means of protection.
- Aliyah acknowledges the risk, but argues that exposure is her best defense and has already cost her professionally.
- "From two evils, you choose the lesser… if I would just quit and disappear I'd be at greater risk than if I remain public." [105:23]
- She says her life now is more about awareness and empowerment than espionage.
9. Sexpionage Today and Its Global Impact
[99:17–104:30]
- The practice of sexpionage continues, with recent high-profile cases involving Russian or Chinese operatives attempting to extract trade secrets from Silicon Valley.
- Aliyah points out that the economic damage from these leaks is estimated at $600 billion a year for the US.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "You have to go to the military. And I'm like, dad, I want to do fashion. Like, I. You know, this is my passion." – Aliyah [18:04]
- "Your body belongs to the state, belongs to the government. You do the right thing, which is you protecting civilians and you're helping your country and you have to be proud of that." – Aliyah [57:51]
- (On seduction) “It’s not about the appearance, it’s about your charisma…your confidence…you want a man to think he is smart…and this is the most important.” [46:10]
- (On integrating into criminal targets’ lives) “Sometimes these girls, they're sort of like not particular agents, but they collaborate with secret intelligence…sometimes they also would operate through these celebrities.” [40:39–41:50]
- (On deep psychological impact) "I can even tell right now, like I am struggling having trustworthy relationships with men…for me, sex is completely different from like having trust.” [54:42]
- (On fleeing Russia) "Vladimir was the one who gave me telephone numbers of people, his friends in Turkey and then in Europe, in Greece, in Switzerland. And I moved to Turkey…” [83:00]
- (On public skepticism) “It is normal for people not to believe me, and I don't push them to believe me. Of course. And it's all about me sharing my story…It's up to you." [110:13]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:53 — Introduction: Who is Aliyah Rosa?
- 01:11–03:00 — What is a sex spy / “honeypot”?
- 03:05–07:35 — Childhood and family background
- 11:23–13:01 — Early psychological and tactical training by her father
- 19:06–21:35 — First military and intelligence postings
- 23:20–26:00 — Going public; media attention (“Red Sparrow” and press conflation)
- 26:54–29:44 — Training: sex, psychology, and persuasion
- 34:19–35:10 — Moral reflections on operations and killing
- 35:21–46:10 — Seduction techniques and body language analysis
- 53:58–55:13 — The psychological aftermath of trauma; sex vs. love
- 69:15–81:08 — Major mission infiltration, relationship with Vladimir, and his death
- 86:00–98:16 — Journalistic scrutiny and defense against accusations of fabrication
- 99:17–104:30 — Sexpionage in the West and Silicon Valley; economic impact
- 104:49–108:08 — Risks of public exposure, contacts with Russian officials
- 110:20 — Final reflections; public skepticism and mission to expose the secret world
Episode Tone
The conversation is direct, raw, and often emotionally charged. Mariana maintains a skeptical but respectful journalistic approach, challenging Aliyah on her claims and inviting her to address the controversy. Aliyah is candid about her trauma, expresses both pride and sorrow over her past, and balances a sometimes-confident demeanor with moments of vulnerability.
For Listeners
This episode provides a rare, deeply personal look inside the murky mechanics of sexpionage, including the psychological and sexual manipulation tools used, the human cost for those on the inside, and the very real, ongoing global ramifications. Aliyah’s story is contested and controversial—both a revelation and a challenge for listeners to engage critically with "the underground markets that quietly power a third of the global economy."
“It’s up to you.” – Aliyah [110:13]