I'm an ex-CIA officer, here's how we got people to turn on their countries to become spies for the U.S. government

A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer who specialized in convincing Russians to become spies for the US government has revealed the various tactics he used to persuade people to commit treason against their country. 

Jim Olson is a veteran of the CIA, who worked tirelessly for the US during the height of the Cold War in Moscow and spent more than 30 years with the agency.

As a an officer of the CIA, Jim learned how to persuade major forces in the Russian Federation to switch sides and feed the US a wave of information about the happenings on the other side of the world. 

After spending the majority of his time with the organization overseas, Jim learned the top ways to recruit Russians and was even taught 'how to drink like a spy' at the 'farm,' which is the CIA's training facility. 

While speaking to Eamon Javers, who is the host of the podcast The Crimes of Putin's Traders, he revealed how he used promises of healthcare, money and even education to get Russians to turn on each other and what you can do to get anyone on your side. 

A former CIA officer who specialized in convincing Russians to become spies for the US government has revealed the various tactics he used (stock image) 

'Our number one job is to recruit, we need new blood all the time. We need human sources,' Jim told the CNBC correspondent.

Jim Olson is a veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency

'Nothing is better than a human source, someone in that foreign government, who can bring out the materials you need.' 

He also revealed that they were taught how to handle their liquor and avoid over-drinking while talking to Russians. 

Jim explained that a big part of his job was finding individuals who were willing to sell their secrets for a price - adding that he had to figure out the cost that would make them change their ways.

Before divulging the deep secrets that led him to get Russians on his team, the CIA officer said that these techniques were 'universal' - adding that Chinese and Russian authorities used them as well. 

'I call it the recruitment cycle. It's very systematic. We study how to recruit human sources,' he said.

'The starting point is that every human being has needs. It sounds cynical but it is true. Our job is to find those foreigners that have secrets that we need and want and are willing to give us those secrets for something we offer.' 

He explained that as an officer they had to find out what would compel them to betray their country. 

After spending the majority of his time with the organization overseas, Jim learned the top ways to recruit Russians and was even taught 'how to drink like a spy' at the 'farm' 

'They will risk their lives if we satisfy their needs,' he added. 

Jim noted that by finding out what drove someone, you could get them to do anything. 

He admitted that 'more often than not,' they requested money. 

'People around the world can be bought and if it's just a question of money, that's the easiest recruit we will ever make,' he added. 

However, while it would make their jobs a lot easier had they just wanted money, Jim explained that there were a lot of more complicated reasons that made people tick. 

The former CIA officer revealed that often they saw someone who didn't like their totalitarian regime and how their people were being oppressed. 

Others will commit treason because they want healthcare because they have sick children or an ill wife.

He revealed that medical needs or even educational needs were often requested. 

'We don't advertise it, but there are CIA scholarships. We often have foreign students here, you help us, we help you. We are manipulating people,' he added. 

And while they are happy to always give those looking to betray their country  whatever they want, he admitted that CIA officers do draw the line at certain times. 

'Our doctrine is that we do not coerce people into espionage, we don't use sexual entrapment. Somebody may be a closet homosexual and in that country that could be grounds for extradition or worse,' he admitted.

While speaking to Eamon Javers (seen), who is the host of the podcast The Crimes of Putin's Traders, he revealed how he used promises of healthcare and money to get them on his side

'Our doctrine is that we don't coerce or use sexual entrapments.' 

Jim said that this was because when they used those tactics, you got bad spies. 

'We want people who are committed and loyal,' he added. 

And while Jim works to recruit people, he tries his best to avoid having them get caught - adding that he feels it 'very deeply' when his recruits get caught. 

To get the most out of their spies, Jim said they did something known as 'tradecraft.' 

'Tradecraft is an elaborate system that we developed to make certain that we can operate with that person and keep that person safe,' he said before noting that he 'doesn't take risks' and ensures all of his recruitments are safe. 

At the end of the podcast, he revealed that they always picked someone who could give them access to information or codes that they couldn't get themselves. 

Jim worked at the CIA for 30 years and was formerly the Chief of Counterintelligence. 

During his time as an officer, he was awarded the Intelligence Medal of Merit. 

Now, he is spending his days as a professor of counterintelligence at Texas A&M University.