FBI Arrests Former CIA Official After Discovery of $40 Million in Gold Bars

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested David Rush, a former high-ranking official at the Central Intelligence Agency, following the discovery of hundreds of gold bars concealed in his residence in Virginia, according to the New York Times.

The newspaper reported that the gold bars found in Rush’s home are worth more than $40 million, representing a substantial fortune that appears to have been accumulated during his tenure, as indicated in court documents.

In a joint statement, the CIA and FBI confirmed that the arrest took place on May 19, subsequent to the agency notifying the FBI about the matter.

David Rush is currently held in custody awaiting a hearing to determine his fate in the coming days. He faces charges related to the embezzlement of public funds through falsification of attendance records.

The sole charge against Rush involves exaggerating his academic credentials and receiving military leave pay totaling tens of thousands of dollars. Authorities state that he falsely claimed to have been a member of the Naval Reserve upon his discharge.

Court documents describe Rush as a "former senior executive employee of a U.S. government agency." Sources familiar with the investigation indicate that he held a senior position at the CIA until recently.

The joint statement added: "Following an internal investigation by the CIA into potential legal violations, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred the information to the FBI for a law enforcement investigation."

According to case files, Rush, who was until recently a "senior executive employee" at the CIA, requested a large quantity of gold and foreign currency to cover "work-related expenses" between November and March.

The court papers also noted that when the CIA reviewed the storage location of the gold and currency, it was unable to locate the gold bars or substantial amounts of foreign currency.

On May 18, FBI agents searched Rush’s home and found "approximately 303 gold bars, each weighing about one kilogram," according to an affidavit.

The affidavit estimated the value of the gold at over $40 million based on current gold prices. Investigators also seized around 36 luxury watches, most of which were Rolex models.

The court documents do not clarify why Rush kept such a large quantity of gold and $2 million in cash at his residence, nor do they specify the nature of the work that required him to amass this wealth.