Would being a FBI agent investigating financial crimes be a good (or feasible) second career for someone in their 50’s?
Let’s say the person doesn’t need money, but therefore, does need a boss (or a structured environment).
And has extensive work experience in financial services.
Congrats on your retirement. I have a retirement-related question and something more work-related:
How long ago did you start your retirement countdown? I have 3-4 years to go and thinking of maybe starting my countdown at 2 years or 20 months or 500 days or something.
What was the largest financial fraud that you worked on, or were aware of, where the perpetrator got away with it? And in general, how was this accomplished?
Asking not because I want to learn how, but while working in International Finance in Bermuda I heard through a colleague how someone got away with over $20m. I was told the crime was so convoluted and complex that authorities couldn’t track down how it was done and where the money ended up. They found out who was responsible but the guy was out of the country by the time the theft was identified. Oh, and this story shared during one of our regular post-work happy hours could be true or something totally made up.
So how do you think the incoming intelligence leads (not just patel but cia and itelligence) are going to affect the workers in those departments. Joy? Fear? Suck it up? Interested in the rank and file view.
And all your other insights are pretty cool
You’ve obviously had a unique view into government and also a slice of American life that I don’t think many people get to witness.
Are there any things that you hear from the general public that is just totally incorrect? I am curious about misconceptions that lay people have about how crime works, what types of people commit crimes, etc. Or any other misconceptions about the job that people seem to hold.
Did you carry a gun? That seems like a stupid question, but maybe not.
I liked him a lot and still do.
Do I wish he never did those press conferences? Yes, absolutely. It may have helped set our country on the path it has been on for the last eight years. That stated, he got painted into a corner by Loretta Lynch’s complete incompetence. It was her job to recommend charges or not. Her inability to make a decision forced Comey to say something. Fast forward to right before the election and again he’s in a weird spot. Does he make the reopening public or not. He was screwed with either decision.
Absolutely. I think FBI Agents whose expertise lies in white collar, cyber, or digital forensics can really have a wealthy second career if they choose that path. I know I could command a $250,000+ salary right now if I wanted it.
A lot of Agents do their selves a disservice sometimes by choosing the path they did in the FBI. Working stuff like drugs and violent crimes has almost no applicability in the private sector so lucrative second career opportunities just aren’t there.
Um then who investigate stuff like drugs and violent crimes if everyone went for preparing for lucrative second career route?
You know why there are no PCPs around? Everyone wants to be a specialist because it pays more. Yet basic medical needs are no longer met.
Everyone in law enforcement says “I’m too old for this shit” many times in their career, and the first time is always during defensive tactics.
I became eligible to retire around a year and a half ago. That’s when I started thinking about it. I gave some thought to leaving at the end of 2023 but I had a GS step increase and the 2024 federal raise was quite good at 5%. That combo would add $5000 extra to my pension each year so I thought it was a no brainer to stay through 2024. I submitted my retirement paperwork at the end of June.
I worked a couple of cases with an international component that the subjects got away with tens of millions but there was just no getting around the lack of cooperation from the foreign governments. Stuff like that still pisses me off.
Not going to lie. There is a lot of pause and concern. People will suck it up and do the job at the field level but this was the first time in my 21.5 years that people are genuinely worried about those picks. I also expect to see a lot of retirements at the FBI executive level that we’ve not seen before. I don’t think anyone wants to work with Patel.
Yes.
Did you ever have the need to fire the gun on duty?
I assume not, but curious anyway.
I think VB was asking about the other direction. If not, I’ll ask…
What’re the chances/opportunities for senior folks with relevant experience going from private sector into the FBI?
How did your fellow agents feel about trump castigating them and portraying them as tools of a corrupt administration?
That’s my question too.
The general public’s perception of the FBI is influenced by movies, TV, and (unfortunately) the news. It’s almost always inaccurate. We can’t solve crimes in two days, we can’t retask satellites to spy on you, we aren’t some right/left political puppet machine, etc.
The wheels of justice take a long time to move. There’s also federal vs state crime that people don’t understand.
The one crime I don’t think the general public realizes is so prevalent is violent crime against children (child p.orn). There’s so much of it out there that it’s mind blowing.
No, I get it. Someone has to do it. But you don’t need to do it for 25 years and then complain that Walmart greeter is about all your qualified for when you’re 55 and retired and still want to work. Being a little facetious here but just sayin.’ Having an exit plan isn’t the worst strategy if you want a good post Bureau career.
I see that now.
I don’t know how old he is but 37 is the max age cutoff to start as a FBI Agent. Meaning one must be
younger than 37 when they hit the Academy grounds. Only exception:
We have Forensic Accountants on the non-Agent side.
It was all bullshit.