The former CIA officer accused of stealing more than $40 million worth of gold bars and stashing them inside his northern Virginia home was ordered detained as his criminal case moves forward, a federal judge ruled on Friday.U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered that David Rush remain in detention following a hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, deeming him a flight risk. The ruling marks the latest development in a case that has sent shock waves through the intelligence community and prompted internal fallout at the CIA. The Justice Department has described Rush as a “master manipulator” who “cannot be trusted.”Rush, a senior CIA official who worked on one of the government’s most sensitive programs, was arrested by the FBI on May 19 after an internal CIA investigation uncovered what officials described as potential criminal misconduct.
Rush is accused of obtaining large quantities of foreign currency and hundreds of gold bars from the CIA under the guise of work-related expenses between November 2025 and March 2026, according to court filings. Investigators allege that much of the money and gold could not be accounted for during an agency review.
When FBI agents searched Rush’s home, they allegedly discovered approximately 303 gold bars worth more than $40 million, roughly $2 million in cash, and more than 30 luxury Rolex watches.
