David J Rush, a former senior CIA official, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Virginia to a charge of wire fraud. Court records indicate that Rush abused his position and government funds to enrich himself, acquiring Florida real estate and hundreds of gold bars valued at tens of millions of dollars.
According to court filings, Rush fabricated a "highly classified" government program to justify the acquisition of luxury properties in south Florida, which he intended to resell for personal profit. He also concocted a bogus "sensitive government activity" to obtain the gold bars.
Prosecutors accuse Rush of lying to colleagues and government contractors about his military and academic credentials, falsely claiming authorisation from high-ranking US officials for his invented program. He directed the transfer of approximately $145m to a holding company he formed, using these funds to acquire four luxury properties in Palm Beach and Hobe Sound, Florida.
Previous court filings stated that Rush stashed over $40m worth of gold bars from the federal government at his Virginia home. Investigators seized approximately 300 gold bars, around $2m in US currency, and about 35 luxury watches from his home following his arrest.