Ex-CIA official with gold, cash stash pleads guilty to fraud

Former CIA official David Rush, who pleaded guilty to fraud on Tuesday, has been sentenced to face up to 20 years in prison. Rush, a former senior CIA official with a top secret security clearance, was arrested in May with a stash of gold bars worth over $45 million at his Virginia home. Prosecutors allege that Rush created a fictitious classified program to obtain government funds, which he then used for personal gain, fraudulently obtaining $193 million.

In addition to the gold bars, law enforcement seized $2 million in cash and luxury items. Rush also admitted to transmitting top secret national defense information to a foreign government official in 2025. CIA Director John Ratcliffe condemned Rush's actions, stating that he abused his position and betrayed the public trust.

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