In a story that resembles a Hollywood spy thriller, the FBI arrested a former senior CIA official this week who allegedly pulled off a multi-year heist worth millions.
According to court documents, David J. Rush, a former senior CIA official with a top secret security clearance, was arrested after the FBI raided his Virginia home and discovered a jaw-dropping $40 million haul of gold bars, $2 million in cash, and 35 luxury watches.
According to reports, Rush was arrested on May 19 and is facing federal charges for theft of public money after allegedly swindling the government out of tens of millions of dollars while posing as a highly decorated Navy Reserve captain and Air Force test pilot.
Former CIA officer accused of stealing 308 gold bars worth over $40 million.
He is accused of using cash, for operations he was in charge of, to buy gold bars. Instead of spending the money on informants or other secret expenses, he used the money to buy untraceable assets that… pic.twitter.com/7Hp8pHvOqw
— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) May 27, 2026
The FBI said the arrest followed a referral from the CIA.
“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 CIA and FBI wrote in a joint statement.
“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.”
According to an unsealed criminal complaint and FBI affidavit, the grift unraveled after Rush made multiple requests to his agency between November 2025 and March 2026 for a “significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars.”
Rush claimed the payout was strictly for “work-related expenses,” but an FBI search of his home on May 18 turned up nearly 303 one-kilogram gold bars, $2 million in U.S. currency and dozens of luxury watches, many of which were Rolex, according to court documents.
A federal investigation revealed that despite holding a Senior Executive Service (SES) rank and Top Secret/SCI clearance, Rush was able to lie his way to the top of the CIA and routinely lied about his military background and education.
In applications for his high-level job, Rush claimed he was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and the “current director of test for a 145-person, 18-aircraft joint Army/Navy weapons test organization,” according to court documents.
However, military records in the investigation show Rush was never a pilot and held no FAA licenses and his actual duties in the Navy included working as an information systems technician.
Rush also allegedly faked his educational credentials to boost his federal salary, claiming he held a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a master’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, according to the filings.
Registrars from both universities confirmed to the FBI that they have no record of Rush ever attending their schools.
FBI officials also claim Rush scammed the government out of $77,000 in fraudulent military leave, claiming 744 hours of paid time off by telling his employer he was actively serving as a Navy Reserve captain (O-6) through September 2025.
Rush was honorably discharged a decade earlier, in February 2015, as a lieutenant (O-3), according to court documents.
Rush is currently being held in federal custody by the U.S. Marshals after a judge initially denied his request for release.
This is an ongoing story. Check back for updates.