CIA Investigates Missing $40M in Gold, Places Senior Officials on Leave and Refers Case to FBI
The agency acted after David Rush, a 17-year CIA employee, was arrested in May on charges of lying about his background and misusing agency funds. Lawmakers received a briefing on the case this week.
Nbc NewsThe CIA placed several senior officials on administrative leave after questions arose over how they handled a high-ranking officer accused of storing $40 million in gold bars at his home, according to three people familiar with the decisions. David Rush, a CIA employee for about 17 years, was arrested in Virginia on May 19.
Court papers state he is accused of lying about his work experience and education.
Rush is scheduled to appear in court on Friday, June 6, 2026. The officials were placed on leave because of how they managed Rush’s requests for money or initial internal flags that those requests may not have been legitimate, the three people said. The CIA declined to comment on the administrative leaves.
Rush’s attorney had no comment. ” Much of the foreign currency and gold bars could not be found during a later agency review. FBI agents who searched Rush’s home found about 303 gold bars, $2 million in cash, and more than 30 luxury watches, according to the court affidavit.
Rush has yet to plead to charges that he filed fraudulent time sheets by falsely claiming he was a member of the Navy Reserve. Rush was most recently a liaison to the Defense Department for a sensitive nuclear submarine program. He was given that assignment at the request of Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, with whom Rush had a close professional relationship over the years, according to four people familiar with their relationship.
Feinberg founded the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. ” Parnell also said Feinberg “never supported Mr. Rush’s career at any point in his life, nor did he endorse Mr. ” Feinberg has not been accused of wrongdoing.
A CIA spokesperson said an internal investigation had “identified potential violations of the law” by Rush and the issue was referred to the FBI. Officials from the CIA and other federal departments briefed lawmakers on Rush’s case on Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the briefing.
