Published Oct. 6, 2026, 4:18 p.m. EDT. A former senior federal employee pleaded guilty Tuesday to carrying out a scheme that caused approximately $193.6 million in losses to the U.S. government, according to the Justice Department.
David J. Rush, 49, of Ashburn, Virginia, admitted using his government position to create fictitious authorities—including a fabricated Special Access Program—to obtain federal funds for personal use, the Justice Department said in its Oct. 6 announcement.
Gold bars, real estate and watches
Court documents described by prosecutors say Rush directed about $145 million in wire transfers and used government money to buy luxury real estate, watches, at least one car and gold bars. The total amount fraudulently obtained was approximately $193,590,400.
During a May 19 search of Rush’s home, the FBI recovered 298 gold bars, about $2.1 million in cash, €104,795 and numerous luxury watches. Prosecutors said the gold bars cost the government roughly $46 million.
Under the plea agreement, Rush agreed to forfeit the recovered gold and currency, fraudulently obtained properties, 30 watches and two 2026 BMW Alpina vehicles. One of the vehicles was valued at about $172,000, according to the department.
Sentencing set for January
Rush is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 28, 2027. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, although the judge will determine the sentence after considering federal guidelines and other legal factors. The agreement also provides for forfeiture, restitution and a possible fine.
The Justice Department said Rush held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance and reached his senior position partly by misrepresenting his education and military experience. The CIA said it referred the matter to the FBI after an internal investigation identified potential crimes.
The investigation remains open, and the Director of National Intelligence has requested a separate inspector-general review. Follow AskNovus Crime & Courts for confirmed case developments.
Featured image: Photo by Jingming Pan on Unsplash. Image is illustrative and does not show evidence from the case.