In an expose published by Politico, and taken from the soon-to-be-published book Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy: The Secret World of Corporate Espionageby Emaon Javers, it’s been revealed that the CIA has a policy permitting intelligence specialists to work on the side for the financial sector, where businesses are always looking for tactical or strategic advantages. In some cases, CIA agents have been paid to use their “deception detection” skills to determine if executives are lying about important matters.

 

CIA leaders are said to be okay with the moonlighting—which only is allowed if cleared first by superiors—because it helps the agency retain its best-trained operatives. Otherwise, agents would be more likely to leave the CIA altogether for the private sector where they can double or triple their salaries.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

CIA Moonlights in Corporate World (by Eamon Javers, Politico)

Hill, Critics Eye CIA Moonlighting Policy (by Kasie Hunt and Josh Gerstein, Politico)