Los Angeles — If the FBI is right, one of its own agents carried on an affair with a prominent Republican activist who happened to be a Chinese double agent.
The affair allegedly gave the spy, nicknamed "Parlor Maid," access to classified documents while she wined and dined some of California's top politicians and businessmen.
"Basically you see her everywhere," said Paul Zee, a businessman and former mayor of South Pasadena who is active in the Chinese-American community.
Authorities say Katrina Leung, 49, was recruited to work for the FBI in the early 1980s and soon began an affair with her handler, former supervisory special agent James J. Smith, 59.
She would copy classified documents he left unattended when he came to debrief her at the posh home she shared with her husband and their son in wealthy San Marino, according to a prosecution affidavit.
The FBI alleges it paid Leung some $1.7 million over 20 years to act as an informer, and during that time she allegedly had an affair with a second agent, whom officials did not identify. The second agent learned of Leung's unauthorized contacts with officials in Beijing and alerted Smith, but Smith continued his relationship with Leung, authorities said.
Leung was charged Wednesday with obtaining a classified national security document for purposes of aiding a foreign nation. Smith was charged with gross negligence for allowing Leung to obtain the documents. They could face up to 10 years in prison. Attorneys for both Leung and Smith have denied the accusations.
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