SpyCast In Bed With Beijing: The Double Agent Who Seduced Her FBI Handler
Feb 24, 2026
Steve Conley, retired FBI counterintelligence agent who worked the Katrina Leung (Parlor Maid) matter, gives a first-hand account. He recounts how Leung gained elite access, why her handler's intimate relationship blinded the bureau, and how surveillance, polygraphs, and staged ruses exposed a sprawling double life that shook agency trust.
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How Katrina Rose To Become A High Access Source
- Katrina Leung built influence by hosting banquets and acting as an emcee for visiting Chinese officials.
- She rose through pro-communist student groups, Cornell and Chicago consular circles, then moved to an LA building the FBI called a nest of spies.
The Handler Who Hid A Romantic Relationship
- JJ Smith recruited Katrina as a source and also became her lover, publicly hiding their closeness as an FBI liaison role.
- He attended events with her under the pretext of protecting foreign officials while debriefing her for days after China trips.
Red Flags Were Repeatedly Ignored For Access
- Multiple independent warnings flagged Katrina for compromise starting in 1987, including phone intercepts and a major 1990 technical compromise.
- HQ repeatedly routed concerns to JJ who documented little, and the LA office prioritized Katrina's access over unresolved red flags.