Part 3/5:
- Ego: The sheer satisfaction of deceiving and manipulating powerful individuals can be a powerful motivator for some. Kim Philby, a member of the infamous Cambridge Five spy ring, was said to have been driven by the ego boost he received from being recruited by the NKVD, the predecessor to the KGB.
Maintaining Control and Sowing Mistrust
To ensure the effectiveness of their agents, intelligence agencies often employ a strategy of maintaining tight control and sowing mistrust within the target organization. They would have multiple agents within the same group, who were unaware of each other's identities. This way, the reports they filed had to align, or else the agents could be liquidated for not fulfilling their duties.