(CNN) — A former CIA officer in Virginia is accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars in gold bars and foreign currency from the very agency he worked for, according to an FBI affidavit and a source familiar with the matter.
David Rush was arrested last week in Virginia on one charge of theft of public money. He has not yet entered a plea and remains behind bars pending a detention hearing in the case.
The FBI alleges Rush became a senior executive government employee with top-secret clearance by lying repeatedly on applications about his military service and education, falsely saying he was a Navy pilot and had advanced degrees.
Court documents, however, don’t clarify why the CIA failed to detect Rush’s false claims before hiring and promoting him. He worked for the agency for 17 years, according to an FBI affidavit, and his claims were easily dispelled by investigators.
An attorney for Rush declined to comment.
After leaving the military and joining the government, Rush falsely “claimed 744 hours of Military Leave on his official timesheet” since being honorably discharged in 2015, taking in roughly $77,000 in fraudulent compensation, the FBI affidavit claims.
Late last year, Rush asked for “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses,” according to the FBI affidavit.
Two days before his arrest, the FBI searched Rush’s home, finding over 300 gold bars worth approximately $40 million along with...
(CNN) — A former CIA officer in Virginia is accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars in gold bars and foreign currency from the very agency he worked for, according to an FBI affidavit and ...