CIA Recruits Laid-Off Bankers

Down-and-out investment bankers have a new career option: spy. The CIA is actively courting New York’s former financial class, Reuters reports. It’s been advertising in New York and will be holding interviews at a secret location next week. “Finance and business professionals, if the quest for the bottom line is just not enough for you, the Central Intelligence Agency has a mission like no other,” crows one radio ad.

A CIA spokesman says the recruitment drive has drawn hundreds of resumes. “It’s going to be a very different use of their skill set than perhaps they’ve used on Wall Street.” The would-be spies will have to pass a background check and lie-detector test, and persuade the agency that serving their country is more important to them than their paychecks. Which, given what they made on Wall Street, it would have to be. (More CIA stories.)