Ex-CIA Official Arrested After FBI Finds $40m Gold Bars, Cash at Virginia Home

United States authorities have arrested a former senior CIA official after the FBI reportedly discovered gold bars worth about $40 million, millions of dollars in cash and dozens of luxury watches during a search of his Virginia home.

According to court documents, FBI agents seized approximately $2 million in cash and around 35 luxury watches during the operation carried out earlier this month.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the suspect, identified as David Rush, was a former senior CIA official, citing sources familiar with the ongoing investigation.

Investigators alleged that Rush falsified details about his education and military service while applying for his government position, including claims that he obtained university degrees and served as a naval pilot.

An FBI affidavit further stated that he submitted fraudulent timesheets and unlawfully received about $77,000 in military leave payments by falsely claiming membership in the United States Navy Reserves.

The document described Rush as a former senior employee at a US government agency who held top-secret security clearance and had access to classified information.

Rush was arrested on May 19 and charged with theft of government money.

A lawyer representing the former official declined to comment on the case, according to The New York Times.

Court filings also revealed that between November last year and March this year, Rush allegedly requested “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses” from his employer.

The affidavit stated that the requests were approved and the cash and gold were handed over to him, although authorities did not disclose the exact purpose of the funds.

Investigators later discovered that the gold and most of the cash were missing from a storage facility at the agency’s workplace, prompting a search of Rush’s residence.

During the search, FBI agents reportedly recovered about 303 gold bars valued at more than $40 million.

The investigation remains ongoing.