Ex-CIA official charged with stealing over $40 million in gold bars from the federal government

David Rush, a former senior executive at a U.S. government agency, was arrested and charged with criminal theft of public money. Federal court filings in Virginia state that from November to March he requested and received foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses. An FBI affidavit says it is unclear what he intended to use the funds for, but some of the money was found in a storage space near his office. Federal officials searched his home on May 18 and seized more than 300 gold bars valued above $40 million, about $2 million in U.S. currency, and roughly 35 luxury watches. Rush was arrested the next day, and the affidavit cites probable cause that he embezzled or converted U.S. value for personal use. The FBI is working with the CIA and the Department of Justice, and his lawyer declined to comment.

"From November to March, Rush requested and received a "significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses," according to an affidavit from an FBI agent investigating the case. The affidavit says its unclear what Rush intended to use the funds for, but that a portion of it was found in a storage space near his office."

"Federal officials searched his home on May 18 and seized more than 300 gold bars with an estimated value of more than $40 million, according to the affidavit. They also seized roughly $2 million in U.S. currency and some 35 luxury watches, many of them Rolexes. Rush was arrested the next day, the FBI said."

"The FBI affidavit concludes that there's probable cause to believe that Rush "knowingly embezzled, stole, purloined, or knowingly converted a thing of value of the United States" for his personal use. The FBI said it was working with the CIA and Department of Justice in its investigation."

"It's not clear what role Rush had at the CIA or when he left the agency. He's described in court filings simply as a "former senior executive service-level employee at a United States government agency." Spokespersons for the FBI declined to comment further, and the CIA didn't respond to an email."

Read at Boston.com