Former CIA officer arrested; $40 million worth of gold bars and $2 million in cash seized from Virginia home

The United States has arrested a former senior CIA official and a search of his home found gold bars worth $40 million.

This month, FBI officials also seized $2 million in cash and about 35 luxury watches from his home. David Rush in the U.S. state of Virginia, according to court documents.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that he was a former senior CIA official, citing people familiar with the matter.

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The FBI investigation found that Rush provided false information about his education and military background on job applications, including lying about earning a college degree and serving as a Navy pilot.

He also filled out fraudulent time forms and falsely claimed to be a Navy reservist to receive $77,000 in military leave pay, the affidavit said.

The document describes Rush as a former senior employee of a U.S. government agency Top Secret Clearance and access to confidential information.

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He was arrested on May 19 and charged with stealing government funds.

Rush’s attorney declined to comment to The New York Times.

From November last year to March this year, Rush repeatedly made requests to his employer for “large amounts of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses.”

Rush received cash and gold, but no further information was provided on why he needed the funds, the affidavit said.

The gold and much of the cash was later discovered missing from a storage room at the officer’s workplace, triggering a search of his home that uncovered approximately 303 gold bars worth more than $40 million.