A former senior CIA official accused of faking parts of his background to collect $77,000 in fraudulent military leave pay was arrested after FBI agents allegedly uncovered a massive stash of wealth inside his Virginia home, including gold bars valued at roughly $40 million.
Federal agents raided the home of David Rush last week, where they reportedly discovered 303 gold bars, about $2 million in cash, and dozens of luxury Rolex watches, according to court filings.
Rush, who until recently served in a senior executive-level position at the CIA, allegedly requested large amounts of gold and foreign currency between November and March, claiming they were needed for official work expenses.
The missing assets were flagged during a routine CIA audit, which led the agency to launch an internal investigation before referring the matter to the FBI.
In a statement, the FBI said: “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 FBI is working closely with our partners at the CIA and the Department of Justice as we continue to investigate this matter fully,” the agency added.
Before the raid, investigators also searched a storage area in Rush’s office that was used to hold work-related funds. According to an affidavit, only part of the money he had received remained there.
At this stage, Rush has been charged with allegedly exaggerating his academic and military credentials and fraudulently obtaining military leave compensation by falsely claiming to still serve in the Navy Reserve.
Court documents allege that Rush fabricated significant portions of his résumé while pursuing a senior federal position.
Although he enlisted in the Navy in 1997 and was honorably discharged in 2015, investigators say he never joined another branch of the military afterward.
Prosecutors allege that after leaving the Navy, Rush falsely claimed to hold active Captain status, allowing him to collect $77,000 in military leave benefits while also earning a high-level executive salary.
Investigators also say Rush falsely claimed to hold a mathematics degree from Clemson University and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, though both schools reportedly found no record of him attending.
He further claimed to possess certifications from the U.S. Air Force and Naval Test Pilot Schools, but federal aviation and military records allegedly showed he never held a pilot’s license and instead worked primarily in IT-related roles.
Rush remains in federal custody as the investigation continues.
