Former CIA Officer Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme Involving Nearly $200 Million

Former CIA officer David J. Rush has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after creating a fake top secret government program to divert public funds, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Prosecutors said Rush used his position to fabricate a special access program and a government contract. The contract tricked an unnamed defense contractor into buying gold, which Rush kept. The scheme took place over the course of 2025.

During Rush’s arrest, law enforcement found more than $46 million worth of gold bars at his home, along with cars, watches and more than $2 million in cash. The department said Rush lied about his education and military experience to get a job at the CIA.

Rush was a senior officer with authority over intelligence programs and spending. Court filings said he effectively approved his own spending, allowing him to use substantial government funds without meaningful scrutiny. Earlier reports said he had worked since 2010 in a CIA division that develops hacking tools and espionage techniques.

Rush is scheduled to be sentenced in late January 2027 and faces up to 20 years in prison. The Washington Post reported on the case; it withheld details about a separate intelligence program, citing the risk to ongoing operations.