Popov, or agent Tricycle as he became known, was moved to London where he took up residence in the Savoy. He was offered payment by MI5 but refused, saying that the German’s were paying him enough and that he was happy working for a country for which he had “whole-hearted admiration”. He became famous for his opulent playboy life style and impossibly dangerous secret missions. Here’s one of his many lovers, French actress Simone Simon:
The German Abwehr despatched Popov to America in 1941 with three typed pages of questions about the enemy’s military equipment and plans. One whole page was dedicated to the defences at Pearl Harbour on the Hawaiian island of Oaha. Popov immediately warned the FBI to expect an imminent attack on Pearl Harbour but the FBI took no heed.
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