David Rush, a former senior CIA official with top secret-level clearance, faces charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of gold bars worth over $40 million. Federal officials searched Rush's Virginia home on May 18 and seized more than 300 gold bars. Along with the gold, agents also found roughly $2 million in U.S. currency and about 35 luxury watches, many of them Rolexes.
Between November 2025 and March, Rush requested a "significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars," claiming it was for "work-related expenses," according to an FBI affidavit. The affidavit states the intended use for the funds is unclear, but a portion of it was located in a storage space near his office.
The FBI affidavit also alleges Rush lied for years about his education and military background. He falsely claimed to be a Navy pilot and a graduate of Clemson University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Records show he enlisted in the Navy in 1997 and served in the U.S. Navy Reserves from 2004 until his honorable discharge as a lieutenant in 2015. He does not appear to have undergone any evaluations as a pilot, and he did not attend either college.
After an internal CIA probe identified "potential violations of the law," the CIA referred information about Rush to the FBI for investigation. The FBI, CIA, and Department of Justice are collaborating in the ongoing investigation. Rush's defense attorney, Jessica Carmichael, declined to comment.
In a separate case, Google software engineer Michele Spagnuolo was charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Spagnuolo allegedly used confidential company information to make $1.2 million on Polymarket. He bet nearly $1 million that Kanye West's wife, Bianca Censori, would not be the most-Googled person.
Sylvia Sims Bolton, a Waukegan alderperson, faces a felony charge for allegedly submitting a mail-in ballot in her deceased mother's name during Illinois' primary. Election officials flagged the ballot after a post-election review process. The ballot was voided and separated from valid ballots before it could be counted.
David Rush, a former senior CIA official with top secret-level clearance, faces charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of gold bars worth over $40 million. FBI agents seized more than 300 gold bars from Rush's Virginia home on May 18. Along with the gold, agents also found roughly $2 million in U.S. currency and about 35 luxury watches, many of them Rolexes.
Between November 2025 and March, Rush requested a "significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars," claiming it was for "work-related expenses," according to an FBI affidavit. The affidavit states the intended use for the funds is unclear, but a portion of it was located in a storage space near his office. Most, if not all, of the funds including the foreign currency and gold were recovered, according to sources familiar with his employment history.
The FBI affidavit also alleges Rush lied for years about his education and military background. He falsely claimed to be a Navy pilot and a graduate of Clemson University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Records show he enlisted in the Navy in 1997 and served in the U.S. Navy Reserves from 2004 until his honorable discharge as a lieutenant in 2015. He does not appear to have underwent any evaluations as a pilot, and he did not attend either college.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred information about Rush to the FBI for investigation after an internal CIA probe identified "potential violations of the law." The FBI, CIA, and Department of Justice are collaborating in the ongoing investigation. Rush's defense attorney, Jessica Carmichael, declined to comment.
In a separate case, Google software engineer Michele Spagnuolo was charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Spagnuolo allegedly used confidential company information to make $1.2 million on Polymarket. He bet nearly $1 million that Kanye West's wife, Bianca Censori, would not be the most-Googled person.
Sylvia Sims Bolton, a Waukegan alderperson, faces a felony charge for allegedly submitting a mail-in ballot in her deceased mother’s name during Illinois’ primary. Election officials flagged the ballot after a post-election review process. The ballot was voided and separated from valid ballots before it could be counted.
Rush is being held in custody pending a hearing on June 5 in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.
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