Federal authorities arrested a former Central Intelligence Agency official last week after investigators allegedly uncovered hundreds of gold bars worth more than $40 million hidden inside his Virginia home.
The former official, identified in court documents as David Rush, was charged in the Eastern District of Virginia with criminal theft of public money.
Rush has also been accused of misleading employers about his background for nearly 20 years.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and CIA confirmed the arrest in a joint statement and said CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred the matter for criminal investigation after an internal review uncovered possible legal violations.
“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 statement said.
“The FBI is working closely with our partners at the CIA and the Department of Justice as we continue to investigate this matter fully. We are committed to following the facts, ensuring accountability, and pursuing justice in accordance with the law,” the agencies added.
According to court filings, FBI agents raided Rush’s Virginia residence on May 18 and discovered more than 300 gold bars with an estimated value exceeding $40 million.
The court documents do not explain why Rush allegedly maintained such a massive cache of gold.
However, investigators said Rush had previously requested and received “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses,” assets the CIA later could not account for.
Investigators reported that most, if not all, of the missing foreign currency and gold bars were eventually recovered.
The case is likely to intensify concerns among conservatives about accountability and oversight within the intelligence community, particularly after years of controversy involving federal agencies and allegations of misconduct by senior officials.
