CIA Officer / Gold Bars

In the past few days there have been numerous articles concerning a CIA Senior Executive Service (SES) employee who is accused of taking 303, 1-kilogram gold bars, worth $40 million dollars, over $2 million in cash, plus 35 luxury watches.

In addition, he supposedly lied concerning his education and military service, on National Security Background Forms.

He filled out a CIA job application in 2009 and indicated that he had an undergraduate degree from Clemson University and a Masters degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He also claimed to be a pilot.

In November 2025, he requested a significant quantity of foreign currency, and millions of dollars of gold bars, for work related expenses. He was apparently given what he requested, but without any further detail on the purpose.

Someone apparently felt that this was irregular, and an investigation was started. On May 19th he was arrested, and his home was searched by the FBI. The gold bars, money and watches were found and confiscated.

Further investigation found that he had no degrees from Clemson and Rensselaer. He is not a pilot. There are also other discrepancies concerning his military service.

How could this happen? Obviously, someone dropped the ball at the CIA. Are there others that fit into this mold?

I have some knowledge as to what the CIA does to vet prospective employees, or prospective spouses of CIA employees.

In early 1961, I met my future wife, Sharon, in Washington, D.C. I had just finished my active duty stint in the U.S. Army, and I returned to the DC area. I was an active member of the Virginia National Guard, and assigned to a Niki Ajax Missile Battery in Fairfax, Va. It was one, of a number of Niki Ajax Missile Batteries, that surrounded Washington as protection from foreign adversaries. It was still the Cold War” era.

Sharon was an employee of the CIA, and was waiting for her security clearance, before being assigned to a permanent position at the Agency. The CIA was in multiple buildings in Washington at the time. Their new facility, in McLean, Va., was under construction, but not completed.

Sharon was a low level employee, but ended up with “Eyes Only” security clearance.

We got engaged in May 1961, and shortly thereafter, she told me that she had some “papers” that I needed to complete. I asked her what they were? She said,” you need to complete them, so that they can do a background check on you.” I said “what if I don’t pass.” She said then she had to make a choice, “marry me and leave the Agency, or stay, and not marry me.”

Wow, and I already had a Security Clearance.

I filled out the questions that were on the papers. This was no easy feat. They were long, complex, and extremely personal. I think there were over 10 pages of questions that I needed to complete.

I gave them back to Sharon, to turn in to her superiors. A week or so later, I received a call from my Mother in Clearfield, Pa. She asked me, “what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?” I asked her what was she talking about? She said that there were a number of men going through the neighborhood, asking the neighbors questions about me.

It was the CIA. They had done an in-depth investigation on me. A little while later, Sharon told me that all was good, and we could get married!

If this was the rigorous fact checking that was done then, on a low level employee, I would expect a more detailed review of those in higher positions, especially today.

An SES position is as high as one can go in the Civil Service. The position of an SES is just one level below that of a Presidential appointee. They are a vital bridge between politically appointed individuals, and the rest of the federal workforce.

If this could happen at the highest level, what else is amiss?

Jess Sweely

Madison, VA

May 29, 2026