A former CIA officer is guilty of defrauding the United States government of millions of dollars.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Rush is accused of abusing his position as an officer to obtain roughly $194 million in gold bars. The disgraced officer, 49-year-old David Rush, admitted his guilt in court on Tuesday (October 6), as part of his plea agreement.
Ex-CIA Officer Pleads Guilty to Massive Fraud Scheme
In addition to admitting to defrauding the government, Rush also pleaded guilty to "providing a foreign official with sensitive intel about the identity of a secret source for the US government." According to court documents obtained by the New York Post.
Attorney General Todd Blanche says that the situation involving Rush should be an example. Of the Trump Administration's commitment to "rooting out waste" in the federal government.
"Federal employees are entrusted with serving the American people, not themselves. The Trump Administration is committed to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government, including by prosecuting those who foolishly defraud American taxpayers," he said in a statement obtained by the outlet.
The investigation found that Rush leveraged his power to obtain approximately 298 gold bars. He was the headmaster who oversaw $145 million in wire transfers.
Disgraced Officer Had History of Dishonesty
In addition to stealing millions, the investigation into Rush uncovered that he has a history of dishonesty. Investigators found that the disgraced officer also lied about his education and military background before joining the CIA.
Former CIA staff operations officer Tracy Walder told the New York Post that Rush being able to pass the required background checks is concerning. She fears there may be more bad apples who have done the same.
"The fact that this slipped through the cracks makes me concerned that there are other people who slipped through the cracks," she said to the outlet.
She also says it's especially alarming given how expensive the vetting process is.
"So they don't just verify your college; they came to my sorority house, talked to my sorority sisters. They came to my parents' house, went to the friends of the friends of my parents," she added.
Rush's sentencing is on January 28.
