A former CIA official with top-secret clearance was charged last week after investigators found a hoard of stolen government property, including more than 300 gold bars, inside his Virginia residence.
According to an FBI affidavit obtained by CNN and NBC News, David J. Rush, a former Senior Executive Service-level employee in the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology, was arrested for criminal theft of public money. Agents raiding his home seized 303 one-kilogram gold bars valued at over $40 million, along with $2 million in cash and 35 Rolex watches.
The complaint says Rush repeatedly requested millions in gold and foreign currency under the guise of "work-related operational expenses." Investigators also found that Rush fabricated his backstory to bypass federal security vetting, falsely claiming to be a U.S. Navy pilot with multiple university degrees.
