Honey traps explained: the old spy trick behind the Nvidia CEO scandal

A chip giant, a CEO and a woman who may not be who she seems: the Nvidia affair reads like a James Bond plot. And it has brought an old word back into the news: the honey trap.

What happened?

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has admitted to an affair, according to reports. The woman is Alice Huang, a businesswoman. She has been seen with him several times, but little is known about her.

Reports describe her as an alleged Chinese spy. That is what has turned a private matter into a possible espionage case. Huang is under pressure because of the relationship.

What is a honey trap?

A honey trap means using romance or sex to get close to a person, win their trust and put them in a compromising position. The aim is information, leverage or both.

It is far from a modern invention. Long before today's intelligence services existed, honey traps were already being set. They targeted men, but also women.

The pattern is simple. It tastes sweet at first and ends bitter.

Why is Germany paying attention?

The Verfassungsschutz (Germany's domestic intelligence agency) has reacted to the possible Nvidia case. It warns that managers in Germany, too, could be lured by foreign intelligence services.

So this is not only a Silicon Valley story. Anyone who holds valuable company knowledge can become interesting to a foreign service.

Meanwhile, the internet has done what it does best. Memes about the affair are spreading, and some commentators have compared the case to spy films.

What's next?

Huang has admitted the affair, but the espionage claims concern an alleged spy. How the case develops is still open.

One thing is clear already. The honey trap is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and the debate about it has just got a new, very famous face.