Former CIA Officer Behind $40M Gold Bar Case Nears Plea Deal with US Prosecutors
David Rush, arrested in May with 303 gold bars at his home, has reached a plea agreement in principle with the Justice Department. A 21-day extension has been requested to finalise paperwork.
Former CIA officer with $40M in gold bars edges toward plea deal
A former CIA officer arrested in May after federal investigators discovered 303 gold bars — valued at approximately $40 million — at his home is working to finalise a plea deal with federal prosecutors, NBC News reports.
David Rush and the Justice Department have reached a "plea agreement in principle," the parties confirmed on Friday, and are jointly requesting that a judge extend an upcoming deadline before the case is presented to a grand jury.
Rush has so far been formally charged with a single count of theft of public funds, accused of falsifying pay records. The case was filed by criminal complaint and has not yet been referred to a federal grand jury.
"The parties need additional time to prepare the paperwork, including an agreed upon statement of facts," Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza Ty and Rush's defence attorney Jessica Carmichael wrote in a joint filing. "A pre-indictment resolution promotes the public interest by conserving government and judicial resources."
The joint filing requests a 21-day extension, pushing the deadline to 8 October. Judge Leonie Brinkema had previously stated no extension would be granted beyond her original deadline of 17 September.
The specific terms of the working plea agreement have not yet been made public.
The case has drawn attention to Rush's ties with Steve Feinberg, the No. 2 official at the Defense Department. According to four people familiar with the matter, the FBI reviewed video footage showing Rush and Feinberg together at a residence in the Washington region linked to the federal government. Feinberg has been interviewed by the FBI, two people familiar with the investigation confirmed, but has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and the bureau stated he is not under investigation.
Following Rush's arrest, the CIA placed several senior officials on administrative leave. Rush allegedly misled his employer about his background for nearly two decades and held a high-ranking position within the intelligence agency, where he worked on some of the government's most classified programmes.
Federal agents seized approximately 300 gold bars at Rush's home, along with around $2 million in US currency and 35 luxury watches, according to federal officials.
Rush's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lawyers in the case are bound by a protective order prohibiting them from disclosing sensitive information related to the proceedings.
Source: Google News MT