Feds seize $40M in gold bars, cash, Rolexes from former CIA official who faked being a Navy pilot

A erstwhile elder U.S. authorities authoritative with apical concealed information clearance was arrested aft the FBI raided his Virginia location and discovered a staggering $40 cardinal stash of golden bars, $2 cardinal successful currency and 35 luxury watches, tribunal documents reveal.

David J. Rush was arrested May 19 and is facing national charges for theft of nationalist wealth aft allegedly swindling the authorities retired of tens of millions of dollars portion posing arsenic a highly decorated Navy Reserve skipper and Air Force trial pilot.

He held a elder presumption with the CIA until recently, according to a study from The New York Times.

According to an unsealed transgression ailment and FBI affidavit, the grift unraveled aft Rush made aggregate requests to his bureau betwixt November 2025 and March 2026 for a "significant quantity of overseas currency and tens of millions of dollars successful golden bars." 

Rush claimed the payout was strictly for "work-related expenses," but an FBI hunt of his location connected May 18 turned up astir 303 one-kilogram golden bars, $2 cardinal successful U.S. currency and dozens of luxury watches, galore of which were Rolexes, according to tribunal documents.

Officials said David Rush had a $40 cardinal stash of golden bars successful his Virginia home. (Daniel Barry/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

CBP DIRECTOR FACES CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDING FEMA AND LYING TO FEDS

A national probe revealed that contempt holding a Senior Executive Service (SES) fertile and Top Secret/SCI clearance, Rush routinely lied astir his subject inheritance and education.

In applications for his high-level job, Rush claimed helium was a postgraduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and the "current manager of trial for a 145-person, 18-aircraft associated Army/Navy weapons trial organization," according to tribunal documents.

However, subject records amusement Rush was ne'er a aviator and held nary FAA licenses; his existent duties successful the Navy included moving arsenic an accusation systems technician.

Authorities recovered 35 luxury watches successful Rush's home, immoderate of which were Rolex watches. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)

FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT ANALYST PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLING MORE THAN $650K

He besides allegedly faked his acquisition credentials to boost his national salary, claiming helium held a bachelor’s grade from Clemson University and a master's grade from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, according to the filings.

Registrars from some universities confirmed to the FBI they person nary grounds of Rush ever attending their schools.

Further, the FBI claims that Rush scammed the authorities retired of $77,000 successful fraudulent subject leave, claiming 744 hours of paid clip disconnected by telling his leader helium was actively serving arsenic a Navy Reserve skipper (O-6) done September 2025. 

The FBI said $2 cardinal successful currency was recovered wrong Rush's location during a search. (Getty Images)

Rush was honorably discharged a decennary earlier, successful February 2015, arsenic a lieutenant (O-3), according to tribunal documents.

He is presently being held successful national custody by the U.S. Marshals aft a justice initially denied his petition for release.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rush precocious waived his close to a preliminary hearing, and a magistrate justice recovered probable origin to determination the lawsuit to a expansive jury. 

The FBI and CIA did not instantly respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.