Former CIA employee accused of stealing 300 gold bars — AP
Former high-ranking CIA official David Rush has been charged with large-scale theft. According to investigators, he embezzled more than 300 gold bars worth over $40 million that belonged to the U.S. federal government and hid them in his own home.
This was reported by the Associated Press.
According to documents from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the former official was arrested last week and charged with embezzlement of government funds.
According to an FBI agent, from November to March, Rush requested and received “a significant amount of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars to cover work-related expenses.” The testimony states that it is unclear what Rush intended to spend these funds on, but some of them were found in a storage facility near his office.
On May 18, federal agents searched the former official’s home and seized over 300 gold bars with a total value of more than $40 million. They also seized approximately $2 million in cash and about 35 luxury watches, many of which were Rolexes. According to the FBI, Rash was arrested the following day.
An FBI statement concludes that there are probable grounds to believe that Rash “knowingly misappropriated, stole, embezzled, or knowingly took possession of property belonging to the United States” for personal use.
It is unclear what position Rash held at the CIA and when he left the agency. Court documents describe him simply as a “former high-ranking official at a U.S. government agency.” FBI representatives declined to provide further comment.
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