The MICE Method: How the CIA Persuades People to Betray Their Country

Baited by MICE: How the CIA Uses Money, Ideology, Compromise, and Ego to Lure Spies

The world of espionage isn't all about thrilling chases, gadgets, and fancy spy talk. It's about something much simpler—people. The CIA excels in one particular skill: getting people to betray their own country. It might sound cold, but that's the game. And the method they often use? "MICE."

     MICE is an acronym that stands for Money, Ideology, Compromise, and Ego. These are the driving forces behind why people flip, why they risk it all to pass secrets to American operatives. If you've ever wondered why someone might turn into a spy, well, it boils down to one or more of these motivations.

     Let’s break it down. Money is the most straightforward. Many people have bills to pay, and the CIA is more than happy to help them out if they can cough up some critical intel. Take the case of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was bribed by the CIA with $3 million to join the ‘Middle East Defense Organization.’ The man pocketed the money, smiled, and did absolutely nothing. A prime example of how just throwing cash at the problem doesn’t always work. There’s always more beneath the surface.

     That’s where Ideology steps in. Sometimes, individuals come to the CIA, disillusioned with their own country’s leadership. They’re the “walk-ins”—those who want to defect, not for the money, but because they believe in something greater. Take Corey Pearson, the protagonist in my spy thriller Mission of Vengeance. He encounters a former KGB agent in a Dominican Republic nightclub who desperately wants to defect, not for cash, but because he’s had enough of Putin’s iron grip and the way Russia is sliding back into a dictatorship.

     This KGB agent in the spy thriller actually symbolizes a real-life story, like that of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB agent who turned on the Soviet Union and spied for Britain’s MI6 solely out of ideological conviction.

     Then there’s Compromise, the dirtiest card in the deck. It’s the stuff Hollywood loves—blackmail, leverage, coercion. Spies caught in this web often aren’t loyal; they’re cornered, compromised by some scandal or secret that would ruin them if revealed. Think back to the classic “honeytrap” schemes or cases where spies are forced to turn over information because their families are threatened.

     Ego, however, might be the most insidious of all. Edward Snowden comes to mind. Many believe his motivation was purely ego. Denied a high-ranking NSA job because of his age and lack of formal education, he decided to show the world just how smart he was by leaking classified U.S. data. Ego-driven spies feel wronged, overlooked, or insulted and want the world to recognize their brilliance.

     In Mission of Vengeance, Corey Pearson uses MICE to recruit spies all over the Caribbean. He sets up a covert CIA cell in the Dominican Republic, sending case officers to recruit informants from the street vendor community, the police, and even inside local banks.

     One of his most significant recruits is a homicide detective named Lieutenant Danilo Sanchez, whose access to police files is invaluable. But Corey knows better than to rely solely on money. People like Sanchez are in it for a lot more than a paycheck—they’re drawn by a sense of duty, a shared ideology, or even a bit of ego, believing they're the one who can help take down a corrupt system.

     The well-known Hollywood movie that portrays a CIA operative using the MICE method is The Recruit (2003), starring Al Pacino and Colin Farrell. Pacino plays a seasoned CIA operative who recruits Colin Farrell’s character, a young computer whiz, by appealing to his Ego. He flatters him with promises of excitement and importance, convincing him that he is special and has what it takes to become a top CIA agent. Throughout the movie, the manipulation intensifies, blending Money, Ideology, Compromise, and Ego to test and control the recruit in a high-stakes espionage game.

     That’s the reality of the CIA’s work. They use a blend of all four motivations to reel in their assets—whether through the allure of cash, the pull of shared beliefs, the sting of blackmail, or the itch of ego. Spies aren’t recruited just for one reason, but for a mix, carefully chosen and expertly executed. It’s a risky game, but one that keeps the CIA’s global network of assets thriving, even as the stakes grow ever higher in an increasingly dangerous world. 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and the author of the "Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster" spy thriller series.