Former CIA Official Charged with Stealing $40 Million in Gold Bars

The Arrest

David Rush was arrested and charged with criminal theft of public money last week, according to federal court filings in Virginia, where he lives. A former senior CIA official with top secret-level clearance is accused of stealing hundreds of gold bars worth more than $40 million from the federal government and stashing them in his home.

How It Unfolded

From November to March, Rush requested and received a "significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses," according to an affidavit from an FBI agent investigating the case. The scheme unraveled when federal officials executed a search warrant.

What Was Seized

Federal officials searched his home on May 18 and seized more than 300 gold bars with an estimated value of more than $40 million, according to the affidavit. They also seized roughly $2 million in U.S. currency and some 35 luxury watches, many of them Rolexes.

Legal Charges and Investigation

The FBI affidavit concludes that there's probable cause to believe that Rush "knowingly embezzled, stole, purloined, or knowingly converted a thing of value of the United States" for his personal use. The FBI said it was working with the CIA and Department of Justice in its investigation. It's not clear what role Rush had at the CIA or when he left the agency. He's described in court filings simply as a "former senior executive service-level employee at a United States government agency."