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A former official of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), arrested after $40 million in gold bars were found in his possession, pleaded guilty this Tuesday to inventing fake classified programs to divert some $194 million, which he used to buy mansions in Florida and gold.
Before a federal court in Virginia, David Rush, 49, admitted that he hatched a plan to defraud the federal government by using his position as a CIA investigator to divert $194 million to companies created through a network.
Rush signed a plea agreement that requires him to surrender the $194 million, including the 298 gold bars found on his property in 2025, as well as two sports cars, 35 luxury watches, and four mansions in Florida.
The former official faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, which will be defined in a hearing that could be held next week.
Prosecutors stated that Rush had access to "highly confidential and classified government programs," although the complaint does not mention the CIA as his former employer.
In the affidavit supporting the original criminal complaint against him, he was described as a "high-level former Senior Executive Service employee" of a government agency in eastern Virginia.
According to the Department of Justice, Rush caused an unidentified contractor, referred to as Company 1, to transfer approximately $145 million to a company created under his instructions.
He then instructed employees of that company and a subcontractor to funnel the money to a company he controlled and used the funds to purchase four properties in Palm Beach and Hobe Sound, Florida.
[Publicidad]