A former government employee with top security clearance was arrested after federal agents discovered hundreds of gold bars worth at least $40 million in his Virginia home, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY.
David Rush, who is charged with theft of public funds, was arrested last week and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing next week. His attorney declined USA TODAY’s request for comment on May 27.
During a search of Rush’s home in Virginia last week, FBI agents found 303 gold bars weighing about 2.2 pounds and estimated to be worth more than $40 million, FBI Special Agent Matthew Johnson said in an affidavit outlining the case against Rush.
The documents identify Mr. Rush as a “former senior executive level employee of a U.S. government agency” with top secret clearance and access to classified information. The New York Times reports that Rush worked for the Central Intelligence Agency.
Johnson said the FBI seized gold bullion from Rush’s home, as well as about $2 million in cash and 35 Rolex and other luxury watches. However, the charges Rush now faces are unrelated to the money or cash seized at his home.
Here’s what we know about this incident.
Why were authorities investigating David Rush?
An affidavit in his case states that between November 2025 and March of this year, Rush solicited and received “substantial amounts of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses.”
A search of the government vault where Rush was supposed to have kept the bars and cash revealed that most of it was missing, according to the affidavit.
Records do not say why Rush needed so much money and cash for the job.
The affidavit states that during the investigation, the FBI learned that Rush fraudulently obtained $77,000 in military leave by lying about his government education and by falsely claiming to be an active duty Navy Reserve officer.
Rush served in the Navy and was honorably discharged in 2015, according to the affidavit. Rush reportedly insisted he would serve in the Naval Reserve for another 10 years until 2025.
What does the CIA say about this incident?
The CIA Press Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA Today late Wednesday.
In a joint statement to the New York Times, the CIA and FBI said the CIA’s internal investigation “identified potential violations of law,” and CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred the information to the FBI for law enforcement review.
