7 of the Greatest Spies Who Ever Lived: List of Famous Spies of All Time

4. Mata Hari

She started working as a spy in 1914

You remember the TV show “Nikita” the beautiful and dangerous female secret agent? Well, if you take away the high-tech weapons and technology, Mata Hari was “Nikita” in real life. Margaret Gertrude Cele, was a well known exotic dancer just before, and during, the second World War. When the war started, she became a mistress as well as a lady companion of many rich people and high ranked military personnel. Since she had a Netherland passport, which was a neutral country, she had frequently crossed the state border, and that attracted the attention of the allied forces. When the British intelligence service brought her in for questioning, Mata Hari claimed that she works for the French government, under cover. But, the French government did not confirm her statement, and soon after that, they intercepted a German radio link, where the details of one of their best spies were discussed. Since all the facts from that message pointed to Mata Hari, she was arrested and accused of being a German spy, and was sentenced to death in October 1917.