Search of Rush’s Virginia home turned up 35 luxury watches, many Rolex
An FBI affidavit alleges that David Rush, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, set up a fake classified program at the agency and used it to request 303 gold bars worth more than $40 million and more than $2 million in foreign currency as “work-related expenses.” Rush, who served 17 years in the agency’s science and technology division, allegedly concealed the gold bars in the basement of his Virginia home, where FBI agents also found 35 luxury watches, many of them Rolex, the affidavit states. The foreign currency was taken from his government office, according to the FBI.
Investigators discovered the full details of the fake classified program only after Rush’s 19 May arrest on one count of stealing public money. The affidavit further alleges Rush falsified his educational qualifications and military service to secure his CIA position, including by falsely claiming to have been a Navy pilot across multiple employment applications, and submitted fraudulent timecards to claim about $77,000 in compensation for military leave he was not entitled to.
The affidavit describes Rush as a former executive service-level employee for the CIA who was fired after allegedly taking the 303 bullion bars and more than $2 million in foreign currency from his government office. Each of the 303 bullion bars weighs 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram), the affidavit states. A search of his Virginia home also turned up 35 luxury watches, many of them Rolex.
According to the affidavit, Rush obtained the items by setting up the fake classified program and requesting them as “work-related expenses.” He has been held in custody since his arrest after being deemed a flight risk.
He had been a CIA officer for 17 years and served in the agency’s science and technology division. The CIA has not publicly disclosed what his exact role entailed.
In a Friday court filing, Rush and federal prosecutors said they had reached a “plea agreement in principle.” The parties also asked a judge to extend a 17 September deadline for an indictment by three weeks, to 8 October, to allow them time to “resolve the matter prior to an indictment.”
In a joint filing, assistant U.S. attorney Raizza Ty and Rush’s attorney, Jessica Carmichael, wrote that “the parties need additional time to prepare the paperwork, including an agreed upon statement of facts.” They added that “a pre-indictment resolution promotes the public interest by conserving government and judicial resources.” The filing contained no further details about the working plea agreement.