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FBI Arrests Senior CIA Official After $40 Million In Gold Found

Federal agents arrested CIA official David Rush on May 19, 2026, after about 303 one-kilogram gold bars worth over $40 million were found at his Virginia home.[1]

Rush was charged in Alexandria with stealing public money by submitting fraudulent time sheets and falsely claiming continued Navy Reserve status to collect leave pay.[1] He remains in custody pending a hearing.[1]

Court papers say that between November 2025 and March 2026 Rush obtained tens of millions of dollars in gold bars and foreign currency from the CIA for work expenses.[1] Agency records later showed the materials could not be accounted for, prompting the CIA's internal probe.[1] Director John Ratcliffe referred the matter to the F.B.I., which executed the May 18 search that led to Rush's arrest.[1]

Agents also seized roughly $2 million in U.S. cash during the search of Rush's home.[1]

  1. New York Times
National Security Federal Law Enforcement
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📌 Key Facts

  • On May 18, 2026, FBI agents searched CIA official David Rush's Virginia home and found about 303 one-kilogram gold bars worth more than $40 million, plus roughly $2 million in U.S. cash.
  • Rush was arrested May 19, 2026, and charged in Alexandria, Virginia, with stealing public money via fraudulent time sheets and falsely claiming continued Navy Reserve status to obtain tens of thousands of dollars in leave pay.
  • Court papers say that between November 2025 and March 2026 Rush obtained tens of millions of dollars in gold bars and foreign currency from the CIA for work expenses, which the agency later could not account for.
  • The CIA conducted an internal investigation, then Director John Ratcliffe referred the case to the FBI, leading to Rush's arrest and current detention pending a hearing.

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May 27, 2026
9:01 PM
F.B.I. Arrests C.I.A. Official With $40 Million in Gold Bars in His Home
Nytimes by Devlin Barrett and Julian E. Barnes