> but those placed don’t collect a company salary, only a government salary

Technically, they collect the company salary, and then the CIA reduces their pay by the same amount.

At one point, they couldn't keep any excess if the company pay was higher. Now, they're apparently allowed to keep an amount that doesn't significantly exceed comparable federal pay.

Ooh, do you happen to know where she said that?

She gave 2 fireside chat style events at the commonwealth club of California and it was at one of those. They’re on YouTube, how I found them. There is other press coverage though.

Infiltrated is not necessarily the right word. Company executives know, but few other employees do

Can you be more precise about whether you’re referring to the American company or its foreign subsidiaries? My understanding is that it would be a violation of the CIA’s charter to plant a spy within an American company’s domestic arm, though of course the CIA does set up American front companies. Embedding officers within foreign subsidiaries of American multinationals seems more likely.