A former high-level CIA official has admitted to bilking the government out of nearly $194 million, including 600 pounds in gold bars and other funds splurged on fancy cars, luxury homes and jewelry.
David J. Rush of Ashburn, Virginia, pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
“By his own admission, David Rush defrauded the government of hundreds of millions of dollars, and then misused those funds for extravagant purchases,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a news release. “Rush betrayed his oath, his co-workers, and the American people and he will now face justice for his actions.”
Rush was arrested in May after federal agents found a stockpile of 2.2-pound gold bars in his Virginia home worth more than $40 million.
How Rush Allegedly Obtained the Funds
Court documents say Rush, 49, held a senior executive-level position with a federal agency, where he had top secret security clearance and access to classified information. NBC reported that Rush worked as a high-ranking officer for the Central Intelligence Agency’s Directorate of Science and Technology, serving as a liaison to the Defense Department for sensitive military programs.
According to the Justice Department, Jay Clayton, the U.S. director of national intelligence, has asked the Intelligence Community’s inspector general to investigate how Rush was able to deceive the country’s top spy agency for so long.
Court documents say Rush obtained his high-level access in part by misrepresenting his academic and military experience. He also took $77,000 worth of military leave after falsely claiming to be an active member of the Navy Reserve.
He then exploited his position to create fake government entities, including a fictitious program supposedly requiring high security clearance to protect classified information. The documents say he used them to request gold bars and federal funds for purchases that included high-end real estate, luxury watches and at least one car.
According to an affidavit filed by FBI special agent Matthew Johnson, between November 2025 and March 2026, Rush requested and received “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars” for unspecified work-related expenses.
An inspection of the government storage space where the bars and money were supposed to be kept showed that most of it was missing, the affidavit said.
Federal authorities say the scheme caused more than $193.6 million in losses. The FBI search of Rush’s home turned up 298 gold bars, more than $2.1 million in cash, several dozen Rolexes and other luxury watches, and about $105,000 in euros, court documents said.
CNN reported that Rush directed the transfer of $145 million to a holding company formed under his direction, then used the funds to buy four properties in South Florida.
What the Plea Agreement Says
In a plea agreement, Rush agreed to forfeit the gold bars and currency, along with the fraudulently acquired properties, 30 watches and two 2026 BMW Alpinas. The Justice Department valued one of the cars at $172,000.
Rush is set to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2027. He faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution and fines.
“The United States entrusted David Rush with the resources to protect our nation and its people, and for sheer avarice he chose to betray that trust for personal enrichment,” said Theophani K. Stamos, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He robbed his country, not just of its treasury, but also of its faith.”
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