WASHINGTON — A plea agreement hearing in federal court was set for Tuesday in the case of a former CIA officer found with 303 gold bars worth $40 million in his home, court records show.
David Rush, who was accused of falsifying his lengthy employment record, was only formally charged with a single count of theft of public funds, accused of falsifying pay stubs. But two people familiar with the investigation told NBC News that Rush was also accused of inventing a fake CIA program. Investigators believe more money or other items are likely missing than were seized by federal authorities from his home, four people familiar with the investigation told NBC News.
Rush was placed on leave some time before his arrest and was eventually fired from the CIA. Court records show Tuesday afternoon’s hearing was set before U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff in Alexandria, Virginia.
A plea deal would allow the government to avoid a lengthy trial that could draw more attention to mistakes the CIA made during the process and prevent the release of additional information about the agency’s operations.
Rush has not yet entered a plea and has been in custody since his arrest. His lawyer had no comment Monday. The prosecution and defense had previously requested additional time to reach a plea agreement.
Rush’s case also cast an unwanted spotlight on Pentagon No. 2 Steve Feinberg, who had a close professional relationship with the former officer, sources told NBC News. Feinberg, through a Pentagon spokesperson, denied that the two men had a close relationship.
Learn more about the David Rush investigation
Rush had worked on secret maritime programs at the Pentagon, NBC News reported in June. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg was questioned by the FBI as part of the investigation into Rush, but Feinberg was not accused of wrongdoing and the bureau said in a statement that he was not under investigation. There is no indication that Feinberg was aware of Rush’s alleged inventions. Several senior CIA officials were placed on leave over the handling of Rush’s money demands, NBC News reported in June.
The U.S. intelligence community’s inspector general is also investigating the circumstances that led to Rush’s arrest, which has raised questions among U.S. intelligence officials and lawmakers about how the CIA might have overlooked alleged falsehoods in Rush’s application, including about his academic and military background, NBC News reported last month.
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