Former CIA officer allegedly defrauded government by lying about his credentials: Complaint
David Rush has been charged with theft of public money.
A former senior government officer is accused of stealing money from the government by lying about his academic credentials and military experience, according to a federal complaint.
During the investigation, FBI agents found more than 300 gold bars estimated to be worth more than $40 million and other valuables at the defendant's Virginia residence, according to the affidavit.
The former government officer, David Rush, has been charged with theft of public money, according to a complaint filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.
The affidavit describes him as a "former Senior Executive Service level employee at a United States Government agency" with top secret-level clearance. He was a CIA officer, according to a source familiar with the case.
The affidavit alleges Rush fraudulently obtained an inflated salary and military leave.
"After a CIA internal investigation identified potential violations of the law, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred the information to the FBI for a law enforcement investigation," CIA and FBI spokespersons said in a statement on the case Wednesday.
In a 2009 application for a government position for which he was subsequently hired, Rush allegedly lied about obtaining a bachelor's degree from Clemson University and a master's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, according to the affidavit. The investigation revealed that Rush never attended or obtained a degree from either institution, according to the affidavit.
"Based on my training and experience, I know that federal employee salaries are determined by a number of factors, including the employee's education level," the affidavit stated. "An employee with higher education levels, such as [a] Master's degree, would generally be expected to receive a higher pay scale than a similar employee doing similar work without an undergraduate or Master's degree."
The affidavit also claims that Rush lied about his military credentials while applying to enter the senior executive service level ranks and committed "timecard fraud" regarding military leave. He allegedly claimed 744 hours of military leave, resulting in $77,000 in compensation, since being honorably discharged from the Navy in 2015, according to the affidavit.
He was arrested by the FBI on May 19, following a referral from the CIA, the agency spokespersons said.
"The FBI is working closely with our partners at the CIA and the Department of Justice as we continue to investigate this matter fully," they said in a statement. "We are committed to following the facts, ensuring accountability, and pursuing justice in accordance with the law."
Rush is scheduled to have a detention hearing on Friday. His attorney had no comment.
Amid the investigation, investigators determined that gold and currency that Rush requested for work purposes was unaccounted for, according to the affidavit.
According to the affidavit, from November 2025 to March, Rush had requested "a significant quantity of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses," though much of it was unable to be located after reviewing the storage space where he stored the currency at his office.
While executing a search warrant for Rush's home on May 18, FBI agents seized approximately 303 gold bars, according to the affidavit. They also seized approximately $2 million and nearly three dozen luxury watches, many of them Rolexes, it said.
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