A Traitor in the FBI (Paperback)

Wayne A. Barnes

ISBN 10: 1645721248 / ISBN 13: 9781645721246

Published by Republic Book Publishers, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. The true story of the undercover operation to unmask the KGB's mole in the FBI. 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. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781645721246

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Traitor in the FBI (Paperback)
• Publisher: Republic Book Publishers
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1645721248
• ISBN 13: 9781645721246
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

The true story of the undercover operation to unmask the KGB’s mole in the FBI.

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.

About the Author

Wayne Barnes is a former counterintelligence special agent for the FBI. He worked KGB espionage, ran double agents, recruited hostile intelligence officers, and found his niche debriefing Cold War defectors. He is now a licensed private investigator, a signature expert, and he also recovers stolen impressionist paintings—the “Dirty Harry” for billionaires. He is a graduate of Penn State and Villanova Law.