Ex‑CIA Official Arrested After FBI Finds $40 Million in Gold at Virginia Home

Overview

• Federal agents searched David J. Rush’s Virginia home on May 19 and recovered 303 gold bars valued at about $40 million, roughly $2 million in cash and dozens of luxury watches.
• Rush was arrested on May 19 and has been indicted on theft of government funds charges, with a custody hearing scheduled for June 5.
• Court filings describe Rush as a former senior CIA employee with ultrasecret access and say he requested large amounts of foreign currency and tens of millions in gold for alleged work expenses between November and March.
• Prosecutors allege Rush falsified academic degrees and military experience, falsely claimed to be a Navy pilot, and used 744 hours of claimed military leave to collect about $77,000 in pay.
• The Justice Department and FBI are investigating how the agency’s assets were approved and moved, who handled custody of the items before the seizure, and whether broader oversight or personnel failures enabled the alleged diversion.