Ex‑CIA Officer Declares Guilty in $200m Gold Bar Scam

David Rush, 49, a former CIA senior executive, has pleaded guilty to a $200 million fraud that entailed falsifying contracts, buying luxury real estate and hiding 298 gold bars that were seized during a recent raid on his home.

Under the plea agreement Rush must repay the U.S. government, surrender luxury real estate, cars, watches and other assets and turn over $39 million taken from his bank account.

He also confessed to leaking top‑secret information to a foreign government official, a breach that prosecutors say could have “grave damage” to national security.

Prosecutors described Rush as having fabricated a classified program to justify buying luxury property in South Florida, then reselling it for personal gain.

The raid uncovered 298 gold bars, $2 million in cash, 35 luxury watches and two BMW vehicles that will be forfeited under the deal.

A federal judge will set the final sentence later; the maximum penalty is 20 years, though prosecutors say additional time can be added under federal law.

Rush’s background includes a 2009 hiring at the CIA after he falsely claimed to be a Navy pilot, a misrepresentation that has prompted an investigation into the agency’s vetting process.

While his lawyer has declined to comment, the case underscores how a former intelligence officer exploited his clearance and access to both public funds and classified data.