FORMER CIA OFFICIAL FOUND WITH $40 MILLION IN GOLD BARS REACHES TENTATIVE PLEA DEAL: WHAT HAPPENED TO DAVID RUSH AND WHAT PROSECUTORS SAY HE STOLE
A former CIA officer accused of stealing more than $40 million worth of gold bars and foreign currency from the agency has reached a tentative plea agreement with federal prosecutors, according to court filings.
David Rush, who worked for the CIA for 17 years, was arrested in May after investigators allegedly recovered hundreds of gold bars, millions of dollars in foreign currency and dozens of luxury watches from his Virginia home.
The case has drawn attention because of the extraordinary amount of alleged property involved — and because prosecutors say the former intelligence officer allegedly created a fake classified project as part of the scheme.
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Former CIA officer David Rush reaches tentative plea deal
Rush and federal prosecutors have told a federal court that they have made significant progress toward resolving the case without going to trial.In a court filing, the parties said they had reached a “plea agreement in principle that would resolve the matter prior to an indictment.”
The filing did not specify what charges Rush may ultimately plead guilty to.
Prosecutors and Rush's attorneys have asked for additional time to finalize the agreement. According to The Guardian, the deadline has been extended to October 8.
The case could be particularly complicated because of the classified information involved. The court filing said that moving toward an indictment and trial could require extensive litigation over classified material.
What did the former CIA official allegedly steal?
The allegations against Rush involve a remarkable collection of assets.Investigators allegedly recovered 303 gold bars and more than $2 million in foreign currency from his Virginia home, according to The Guardian.
Authorities also found 35 luxury watches, adding another unusual element to the investigation.
The combined value of the gold and currency was estimated at more than $40 million.
The allegations go beyond simply taking valuable property.
Prosecutors say Rush allegedly created a fake classified project that was used to justify siphoning CIA money and resources. He also allegedly submitted fraudulent timecards connected to approximately $77,000 in unearned military leave compensation.
Rush allegedly lied about his background
The former CIA officer is also accused of falsifying parts of his military and education background to obtain employment.Rush spent about 17 years working in the CIA's science and technology division, although the agency has not publicly disclosed specific details about his role.
That background has added another layer to the case because any trial could involve questions surrounding classified information and the nature of his former work.
Why prosecutors want a plea deal
A plea agreement could allow both sides to avoid a lengthy trial involving classified evidence.In their filing, prosecutors and defense attorneys said that proceeding to an indictment and trial would involve “significant litigation on any classified material.”
That does not mean the case has been resolved yet.
A tentative agreement still needs to be finalized, and the court filing did not reveal the exact charges Rush could plead to or what sentence prosecutors may seek.
When was David Rush arrested?
Rush was arrested on May 19 and has remained in custody, with authorities considering him a flight risk, according to The Guardian.The investigation has now moved toward a potential resolution, but the precise terms of the plea agreement remain unclear.
For now, the biggest unanswered questions are what charges Rush will plead to, what sentence he could face and what will happen to the millions of dollars in gold and foreign currency recovered by investigators.
