Beltway bandit

Definitions

1. A consulting or research company that mostly carries out work for US government departments or agencies.
   informal
2. An employee of such a firm, especially a former employee of the firm's clients.
   informal
3. A short-term money lender to contractors working for the US government but waiting for US congressional appropriations.
   informal

Examples

“He worked for a beltway bandit firm, doing engineering work⟳. He computed trajectories on missiles... that kind of thing.”

“[He] turned out to be what is called a "Beltway bandit," lending money at short-term high (but legal) rates to government contractors low on cash who are awaiting congressional appropriation funding.”

CEFR level