Senior CIA official accused of stealing $40m in gold bars from agency

David Rush’s trial for allegedly taking 303 gold bars and $2m in foreign currency from agency was pushed to next week

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A senior intelligence operative accused of stealing hundreds of gold bars worth more than $40m and hiding them at home remained in custody in Virginia on Friday after a judge pushed his first court appearance to next week.

David Rush, a former executive service-level employee for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is alleged to have taken 303 bullion bars, each weighing 2.2lb (1kg), and more than $2m in foreign currency, from his government office, according to an eight-page FBI affidavit.