A former CIA officer in Virginia is accused of stealing tens of millions of {dollars} in gold bars and international forex from the very company he labored for, in response to an FBI affidavit and a supply accustomed to the matter.
David Rush was arrested final week in Virginia on one cost of theft of public cash. He has not but entered a plea and stays behind bars pending a detention listening to within the case.
The FBI alleges Rush turned a senior government authorities worker with top-secret clearance by mendacity repeatedly on functions about his army service and schooling, falsely saying he was a Navy pilot and had superior levels.
Court paperwork, nonetheless, don’t make clear why the CIA didn’t detect Rush’s false claims earlier than hiring and selling him. He labored for the company for 17 years, in response to an FBI affidavit, and his claims had been simply dispelled by investigators.
An lawyer for Rush declined to remark.
After leaving the army and becoming a member of the federal government, Rush falsely “claimed 744 hours of Military Leave on his official timesheet” since being honorably discharged in 2015, taking in roughly $77,000 in fraudulent compensation, the FBI affidavit claims.
Late final 12 months, Rush requested for “a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses,” in response to the FBI affidavit.
Two days earlier than his arrest, the FBI searched Rush’s home, discovering over 300 gold bars worth roughly $40 million together with $2 million in money and “35 luxury watches, many of which were Rolex brand,” the affidavit says.
The the rest of the funds Rush allegedly stole haven’t but been recovered.
Rush utilized three separate instances to work for the federal government and ultimately was employed in 2009 and later promoted after mendacity about his time within the US Navy, falsely claiming he was a pilot, in addition to falsely claiming he had bachelor’s and grasp’s levels, the affidavit says.
The Navy instructed investigators Rush labored partly as an data methods technician throughout his service and the schools Rush claimed to have levels from mentioned that they had no report of him.
Prosecutors alleged that Rush additionally falsely acknowledged “he was the current Director of Test for a 145-person, 18-aircraft joint Army/Navy weapons test organization.”
In 2018, as half of his utility for the senior government service stage, Rush additionally falsely claimed “he had an eleven-year tenure as a Thesis/Dissertation advisor at the Air Force Institute of Technology,” in response to the affidavit.
He now not works for the CIA.
In statements to NCS, the FBI and CIA mentioned the individual — who has now been recognized as a CIA worker — was arrested on May 19.
“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 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 FBI assertion mentioned.
This story was up to date with extra reporting.