A former U.S. government official with top-secret clearance has been arrested after federal agents discovered 303 gold bars valued at more than $40 million hidden inside his Virginia residence, according to court documents unsealed this week.
David Rush, identified by the New York Times as a recently departed senior CIA official, was taken into custody following an FBI search of his home on May 18. Authorities also recovered approximately $2 million in U.S. currency and 35 luxury watches, including numerous Rolexes.
The arrest stems from a CIA internal investigation that was referred to the FBI by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. According to an FBI statement, Ratcliffe referred the matter after the agency’s internal review identified “potential violations of the law.”
Between November 2025 and March 2026, Rush allegedly submitted multiple requests to the U.S. government to obtain “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses,” court documents state. Officials say he subsequently received the assets.
However, a subsequent CIA review found that the agency “was unable to locate the gold bars or significant amounts of the foreign currency.” Investigators further noted they could find “any record of Rush providing information to his employer regarding the disposition of the currency or gold bars.”
Rush has been charged with criminal theft of public money in a complaint filed last week. He remains in detention pending a hearing scheduled for this week. His attorney has declined to comment on the charges.
In addition to the theft allegations, court filings accuse Rush of lying about his educational background and military service when applying for his government position, as well as fraudulently taking military leave while continuing to receive pay.
The FBI executed the search warrant for Rush’s home on May 18. Each of the 303 seized gold bars weighs approximately one kilogram. At current market prices, their total estimated value exceeds $40 million. The court documents do not explain why the assets were being kept in his home.
The CIA has not yet responded to a request for comment on the case.
