$40M in gold bars, $2M cash found in ex-CIA executive's Ashburn home, FBI says | NBC4 Washington

More than 300 gold bars worth more than $40 million and $2 million in cash.That is what the FBI says that it found in the Ashburn home of a former executive at the CIA.Thanks for joining us for News 4 at 4.I'm Erica Gonzalez.The man's name is David Rush.The FBI says that Rush also lied to the CIA about degrees that he had from two universities.

News 4's Paul Wagner joins us live in Ashburn to talk us through these details that almost sound like a movie.Paul?

Hi there, Erica.This is David Rush's house here behind me in Ashburn Farm.And let me tell you what happened here about a week ago Monday.It was the 18th.And according to a neighbor who spoke with News 4 off camera, he says he was awakened at about six o 'clock in the morning by someone on a bullhorn shouting, this is the FBI.We have a warrant for your arrest.

Come out with your hands up.That man, that's what he said.got out of bed.He looked outside.He saw a number of FBI agents, tactical gear standing here on this street.He says the next thing he saw was David Rush, his neighbor in handcuffs.

He says the FBI was then inside this house all day long.David Rush is a former CIA senior officer with a top -secret security clearance.According to a complaint filed in federal court, Rush made several requests for work -related expenses between November of 2025 and March of 2026.Those expenses, according to the complaint, included a large amount of cash and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars, which was given to Rush.But at some point, it's unclear when, a review of Russia's storage space at the agency only found a small portion of the cash he was given.According to the complaint, FBI agents searched his house.

During the search,FBI agents seized approximately 303 gold bars.Based on the current price of gold, the estimated value of the gold exceeds $40 million.FBI agents also seized approximately $2 million in United States currency.The complaint says Rush applied three times to the CIA, twice in 2006 and again in 2009 when he was hired.The investigation has revealed that he never attended, or obtained a degree from Clemson University.

The investigation also revealed that Rush never attended or obtained degrees from RPI or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.According to court documents, Rush also told employees he was a pilot for the Navy.That was not true.The FAA saying it did not have a certificate or pilot's license registered to Rush.While News 4 was in the neighborhood, someone inside Rush's home called police complaining about the media.Most people we talked to declined to comment about Rush.

None would go on camera.One couple told News 4 Rush's wife and children would take walks in the neighborhood, but they rarely saw David Rush.Now that complaint filed in federal court also says that the FBI found 35 luxury watches inside this house.Those watches were mainly Rolex is what the court document said.We did reach out to David Rush's attorney.She did respond.

She said she had no comment.There was supposed to be a detention hearing for Mr. Rush tomorrow in federal court in Alexandria, but that's now been kicked until next week, June 5th.

Erica, you know, Paul, lots of people are probably asking how could something like this happen, right?So if the CIA is known for its intense screening process and their background checks, what are federal officials saying about how this could have happened?

You have the question of the day, Erica.Everyone's asking that.There's nothing in the court documents saying how this may have happened, other than they're saying that he lied about his college degrees and that he lied about being a pilot.But if you go on the CIA's website, it talks about its stringent requirements to become a an employee of the CIA.It says there are background checks, including interviews with family, friends, and neighbors, that there's a mandatory polygraph test, that there's physical and psychological testing, and it also says disqualifiers include lying.So that is what's going on.

Your question and everybody else's today, and we just don't know the answer to that.We just know that, you know, you watch all of these shows about the CIA and the FBI and they talk about how tough it is to get a job in one of these agencies, right?And how did this happen?If what is in that document is true, that he did not have any of these degrees and he was lying about it.his service.

Yeah, it's not every day that you hear about gold bars and 35 Rolexes.Paul Wagner live course this afternoon.Paul, thank you.