Ex-CIA official pleads guilty to $193.6m fraud via fake intelligence program

Prosecutors said Rush lied during his job interview about his education and military experience, helping him land a senior executive-level position with a federal agency. In that role, he held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance, which allowed him access to highly classified U.S. government intelligence and enabled him to create and fund the fake program.

According to court documents, Rush used the funding to wire himself roughly $145 million. He bought luxury real estate, watches and at least one car, and acquired 298 gold bars worth approximately $46 million. In total, the Justice Department said, he took $193,590,400 in U.S. government funds.

On May 19, the FBI raided Rush's residence and recovered the 298 gold bars, more than $2 million in cash, just over €100,000 in euros, and numerous luxury watches, most of them Rolexes. He later pleaded guilty and agreed to forfeit the gold bars, the currency, 30 watches, two 2026 BMW Alpina cars worth more than $150,000 each, and all the real estate he bought with the stolen money.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the agency opened an internal investigation after identifying potential crimes and immediately referred the matter to the FBI. "David Rush abused his position and betrayed the public trust and should be held fully accountable for his actions," Ratcliffe said.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Rush admitted defrauding the government of hundreds of millions of dollars and misusing the funds for extravagant purchases. "Rush betrayed his oath, his co-workers, and the American people and he will now face justice for his actions," Patel said. "This plea demonstrates the FBI's commitment to protecting the public's trust; and that no government position, security clearance, or access to government resources places anyone above the law."

TechCrunch reported that Rush was employed in 2010 and had since worked on developing hacking tools and techniques for espionage. His Special Access Program was described as a surveillance or intelligence-gathering operation so sensitive that only a few people were read into it. Rush allegedly constructed the compartmentalized program as a fake "continuity of government" plan, to be used in case of war, natural disaster or a similar major disruptive event. The gold was apparently bought by a defrauded defense contractor, which Rush later took home.

The Justice Department said Rush's sentence could include up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, forfeiture, restitution and a fine. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.