"How a Fake CIA Spy Fooled Everyone and Swindled Millions"

The Daily Beast:

He was a diligent student, appearing on honor rolls in elementary school. By high school, his ambition was apparent: He worked as a student aide, excelled on the debate team, played in the jazz band, served on the yearbook staff, competed on the drama team, and was named student body president.

...

“Next thing you know, he says he’s going to be a cheerleader,” [His college roommate] said. “I thought he was full of shit, but the next home game comes and he’s down there on the field with the cheerleaders, in full uniform... He did so many things that didn’t seem realistic, but he sold it to you.”

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Another name to emerge: [a retired Air Force general], who was a top military executive at the the precursor to the NGA before landing jobs at a series of well-known defense contractors, including one that also hired Courtney.

The general’s firm fell victim to the scam—even though [the general] had been warned by a contractor at a rival company that Courtney could not be trusted. Correspondence examined by The Daily Beast shows the rival contractor also tipped off authorities in 2013 and then watched in horror as nothing happened for years.

“It’s a fantastical story, but it’s all true,” said the contractor, who we are calling K.B. “I’ve been telling this story for years, and everybody thought I just fucking made it up.”