Former CIA officer accused of stealing 300 gold bars, sources say

EXCLUSIVENational SecurityNational SecurityFormer CIA officer accused of stealing 300 gold bars, sources sayThe longtime senior officer was also accused of lying about his background for nearly two decades, according to court documents about the case. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00The former senior officer is accused of secretly stashing gold bars in his home, according to court documents.Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 27, 2026, 5:03 PM EDTBy Julia Ainsley, Dan De Luce and Gary GrumbachWASHINGTON — A former CIA senior officer with Top-Secret level clearance has been accused secretly stashing millions in gold bars in his home that he said he needed for “work-related expenses,” according to court documents and two people familiar with the officer’s employment history. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.David Rush, who held a management position, was charged with criminal theft of public money in a complaint filed last week in the Eastern District of Virginia. His lawyer didn’t respond to a request for comment. He was also accused of of lying to his employers about his background for nearly two decades. When asked about Rush’s case, a spokesperson with the CIA said in a statement that the FBI had arrested an individual after a referral from the agency. “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,” according to the written statement. “The FBI is working closely with our partners at the CIA and the Department of Justice as we continue to investigate this matter fully. We are committed to following the facts, ensuring accountability, and pursuing justice in accordance with the law.”The case raises questions about the effectiveness of the federal government’s security vetting, which is supposed to ensure intelligence officers or other go...