Former CIA officer accused of hiding over $40M in gold bars at home

A former senior CIA officer with top secret-level clearance has been charged with stealing public money, according to court documents and people familiar with his employment history, NBC

reported on Thursday.

David Rush, who held a management role, was charged last week in the Eastern District of Virginia with criminal theft of public money.

His attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

According to an FBI affidavit, Rush requested large sums of money between November and March, including foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars.

He allegedly told officials the funds were needed for work-related expenses. Investigators later found only part of the funds in a storage space near his office.

On May 18, federal agents searched Rush’s home and seized about 300 gold bars worth more than $40 million, court documents said.

Agents also recovered approximately $2 million in US currency and 35 luxury watches, according to the affidavit.

The filing alleges that Rush knowingly took some of the money he requested for official use and moved it to his home for personal gain.

The court documents did not identify the agency where Rush worked, but two people familiar with his employment history said he was employed by the CIA. One of those people said most, if not all, of the funds, including foreign currency and gold, were recovered.

In a joint statement, the CIA and FBI said the arrest followed an internal CIA investigation.

“After a CIA internal investigation identified potential violations of the law, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred the information to the FBI for a law enforcement investigation,” the statement said.

“The FBI is working closely with our partners at the CIA and the Department of Justice as we continue to investigate this matter fully. We are committed to following the facts, ensuring accountability, and pursuing justice in accordance with the law.”

The case could draw scrutiny of the federal government’s security vetting system, which is designed to detect financial irregularities and other risks among employees with access to sensitive or classified information.