Former CIA Official Arrested After FBI Finds $40 Million in Gold Bars at Virginia Home
Ex-official accused of fraud, theft of government funds, and falsifying military and academic credentials
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — US authorities have arrested a former senior CIA official after federal investigators discovered more than $40 million worth of gold bars, millions in cash, and dozens of luxury watches at his Virginia residence, according to court documents unsealed this week.
The suspect, identified as David Rush, was arrested on May 19 and charged with theft of government money following an FBI investigation into alleged fraud and misappropriation of official assets.
According to an affidavit cited in US media reports, FBI agents seized approximately 303 gold bars valued at more than $40 million during a search of Rush’s home. Investigators also recovered around $2 million in cash and roughly 35 luxury watches.
The New York Times, citing individuals familiar with the investigation, reported Wednesday that Rush had previously served as a senior official at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Court documents describe him as a former employee of a US government agency who held a top-secret security clearance and had access to classified information.
Federal investigators allege that Rush obtained his government position by falsifying details about his academic and military background. The affidavit states that he falsely claimed to possess university degrees and to have served as a naval aviator in the US Navy.
Authorities further accused Rush of submitting fraudulent timesheets and improperly collecting approximately $77,000 in military leave payments by falsely claiming he was a member of the US Navy Reserve.
The investigation intensified after officials discovered that a large quantity of foreign currency and gold bars assigned for work-related purposes had gone missing from a secure storage facility at Rush’s workplace.
According to the affidavit, between November and March, Rush repeatedly requested “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses.” The court filing did not specify the nature of the operations or assignments connected to those requests.
The documents state that Rush received both the cash and the gold before investigators later determined that most of the assets were missing from government storage.
The disappearance of the valuables triggered the FBI search of Rush’s Virginia home, where agents uncovered the gold bars and other luxury items.
A lawyer representing Rush declined to comment when contacted by The New York Times.
The case remains under federal investigation, and prosecutors have not yet announced whether additional charges may be filed.
