EXCLUSIVE: CIA Official Accused of Hoarding $40Million in Gold Bars as Feds Probe Alleged Secret Scam
Charging documents state Rush requested tens of millions in gold for work expenses.
July 8 2026, Published 6:31 p.m. ET
A senior CIA official was bagged with $40million in gold bars stuffed in a closet in his home — and now intelligence insiders said he may have been part of a massive internal scam.
The former longtime senior officer, David Rush, 55, is behind bars awaiting a hearing and facing charges of stealing public funds.
FBI Finds Gold And Cash
A senior CIA official was caught with $40 million in gold bars.
The FBI raided his Virginia home on May 18 to investigate whether he lied about his military and academic background, and found 303 one-kilogram gold bars, $2million in U.S. currency and 35 luxury watches, "many of which" were Rolexes.
The charging documents state Rush requested and received "a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses."
One former CIA officer suspects Rush couldn't have acted alone in securing the staggering haul.
"This would have been a large-scale lying cover-up. There would have had to be a lot of other co-conspirators," Tracy Walder said.
Questions Surround Fortune
A CIA official faced a federal probe over alleged gold bar scheme.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The court papers do not detail why Rush kept so much gold and cash in his home, or what work project would have required him to amass such wealth, but Dan Meyer, a lawyer specializing in security clearance, told a media outlet it was likely "resources to be used in U.S. operations overseas" that were "diverted for his personal use."
Walder said the CIA often receives requests for currency or gold, but never without accounting for every penny.
"It's not unusual to need money to meet with assets overseas," she revealed. "But I cannot think of an asset that needs $40million in gold bars. There is a whole process that we go through to get that money."
As of press time, Rush has not entered a plea and remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals after his request for release on bond was denied.
