In 1998, I was the undercover agent tasked to recruit a Russian who could unmask their spy in the FBI. Twenty-five years later, this story is still not known outside of the Bureau. My mission was to befriend a former Soviet Embassy official at a film festival in Santa Monica and persuade him to betray the KGB’s mole. He was to return to Moscow in eight days, and our nation’s security hung in the balance.

No one knew what I was doing, not local colleagues or family, and there was no paper trail, fearing the traitor might learn of our plan. He had turned over nuclear secrets and the name of our penetrations in the KGB—who were executed.

I profiled my target’s affinity for strong women and crafted a bold plan, never attempted with a Russian. An authoritative and impressive female agent would have to make the overture. FBI HQ critics hampered me, delaying and exacerbating near-impossible odds. There were more complications to get the Russian back to the US for a second film festival in Austin nine months later. Finally, the perfect female agent was found—who we hoped could entice Ivan into becoming a turncoat against his own nation.

After a grueling seven-year battle with the FBI Prepublication Review Unit, this story was finally approved to tell the public.