WASHINGTON, United States — A former senior United States government official has been arrested after FBI agents recovered more than $40 million (about Sh5.2 billion) worth of gold bars, millions in cash, and luxury watches from his Virginia home.
David Rush, who, according to reports, previously held a senior position within the CIA, was arrested following an FBI investigation triggered by an internal CIA inquiry into alleged misuse of government resources.
Court documents filed last week accuse Rush of criminal theft of public money after he allegedly requested and received large quantities of foreign currency and gold bars from the US government under the guise of “work-related expenses.”
FBI Recovers Gold Bars and Luxury Watches
According to investigators, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Rush’s Virginia residence on May 18, where they recovered approximately 303 gold bars weighing about one kilogram each.
Authorities estimated the value of the seized gold at more than $40 million based on current market prices.
Agents also discovered approximately $2 million (Sh258 million) in US currency and 35 luxury watches, several of them Rolexes.
The court documents do not explain why the gold bars and cash were allegedly being stored inside the residence.
Rush is currently being held in detention pending a court hearing later this week. His lawyer declined to comment on the allegations.
CIA Referral Triggered Investigation
The FBI confirmed that the arrest followed a referral from the CIA after the intelligence agency conducted an internal review.
“After a CIA internal investigation identified potential violations of the law, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred the information to the FBI for a law enforcement investigation,” the FBI said in a statement.
According to court filings, Rush allegedly made multiple requests between November 2025 and March 2026 seeking foreign currency and gold bars for official operations and work-related expenditures.
However, investigators later found no records explaining how the assets were used or disposed of after they were issued.
“The government was unable to locate any record of Rush providing information to his employer regarding the disposition of the currency or gold bars that he received for work-related purposes,” the documents stated.
Additional Fraud Allegations
Beyond the alleged theft of government property, Rush is also accused of falsifying information during his application for government employment.
Court documents claim he lied about his educational background and military service credentials in order to secure the position.
Investigators further allege that Rush fraudulently obtained military leave payments amounting to thousands of dollars.
The filings describe him as a former senior executive at a US government agency in Virginia who held a top secret security clearance and had access to classified information.
Questions Over Oversight and Accountability
The case has triggered renewed scrutiny over accountability mechanisms within sensitive US intelligence and security agencies, especially concerning the handling of classified operational funds and valuable government assets.
The New York Times reported that Rush served in a senior CIA role until recently, though US authorities have not publicly disclosed the specific nature of his duties or assignments.
The CIA has not issued an official public response beyond confirming cooperation with federal investigators.
The investigation remains ongoing.
