Former senior CIA official David Rush - who used to hold a management position - was charged with stealing public funds in a lawsuit filed last week in the East Virginia District Court. This former CIA official is also accused of lying to superiors about his background for nearly 2 decades.
When asked about David Rush's case, the CIA spokesman stated in a joint statement with the FBI that the FBI arrested a person after receiving information from this agency.
This case raises questions about the effectiveness of the federal government's security check process, which is supposed to ensure that intelligence officers or other government officials do not betray public trust or spy for foreign countries.
The US government conducts background checks on all potential candidates at the CIA and other agencies granted access to sensitive and confidential information. After employees are recruited, the government continues to monitor their financial activities, travel, credit records and other information through automated checks to ensure they are not easily blackmailed.
The Intelligence and Defense Security Agency, under the authority of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, oversees the background check program, called the "continuous check". When the program detects problems or potential abnormalities in employee records, officials will conduct further investigations.
It is unclear how the investigation into David Rush began and it is also unclear when David Rush left the CIA. David Rush's private residence was searched last week.
David Rush has applied for jobs in the government 3 times. In the first application, David Rush declared that he graduated from Clemson University in 2000. In the second application, David Rush added a master's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic.
In the third time, in 2009, David Rush succeeded. Court documents show that David Rush attached those degrees along with a test pilot driving certificate from the US Naval Test Pilot School.
In his promotion applications, David Rush mentioned being a thesis advisor at the Air Force Institute of Technology. David Rush also told recruiters that he was a pilot for the US Navy.
According to the indictment, all of that information is untrue. David Rush did not graduate from the above-mentioned schools and investigators determined that the US Federal Aviation Administration did not issue any pilot certificates or licenses to David Rush.
From November last year to March this year, David Rush has repeatedly requested funding, including foreign currency and gold bars worth tens of millions of USD.
In the warehouse near David Rush's office, investigators only found a portion of the money.
On May 18, federal agents searched David Rush's house and seized about 300 gold bars worth more than 40 million USD. The agents also seized about 2 million USD in cash and 35 luxury watches, mainly Rolex.
According to the indictment, David Rush intentionally took part of the money from his homework for personal gain.
Court records did not specify which agency hired David Rush, but 2 sources said that David Rush used to work at the CIA. One source said that most of the money and gold had been recovered.
