<p>The ex-CIA official who was arrested last month after being found with some <a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/news/2026/05/28/40-million-in-govt-black-budget-gold-seized-from-ex-cia-officers-home-004944">$40 million in gold bars</a> reportedly siphoned that loot from the government by creating a fake spy program.</p>
<p>The ex-officer, David Rush, fabricated a “special access program” (SAP), which the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/05/cia-officer-accused-stealing-gold-bars-created-fake-black-box-spy-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Washington Post</em></a> described as a “black box” for the nation’s most secret intelligence operations. Rush’s phony program reportedly had to do with “continuity of government”—how to keep the government running during a <a href="https://www.moneymetals.com/news/2026/06/04/rfk-jrs-daughter-in-law-is-tied-to-the-cia-gold-scandal-004967">nuclear attack or other major disaster</a>.</p>
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<p>“Even intelligence personnel with the highest security clearance cannot access an individual SAP, as they are known, without specific authorization,” the <em>Post</em> reported Friday, citing anonymous sources.</p>
<p>According to the <em>Post</em>, Rush “read in,” or initiated, two colleagues into the highly secretive sham program.</p>
<p>“He persuaded one of them to transfer millions of dollars to the program via a government contract that was also fraudulent,” the <em>Post</em> said.</p>
<p>Further details about Rush’s fake spy program are still not public.</p>
<p>“It remains unclear, for example, how Rush could single-handedly create a ‘black box’ for a fictional spy program without sign-off from his superiors. It is also unclear whether the two colleagues Rush brought into the fake program knew it was fraudulent,” the<em> Post</em> said.</p>
<p>Rush, who faces one count of stealing public funds, was ordered to remain in custody on Friday after a detention hearing. Part of the hearing was held in secret due to the top-secret information being discussed.</p>
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<p>Rush was first put under federal investigation due to him allegedly lying on his job resume—he allegedly obtained $77,000 in military leave by falsely claiming to be in the Navy, even though he was discharged in 2015.</p>
<p>As the FBI’s investigation into Rush progressed, agents found that he allegedly made several requests to the government to obtain a “significant quantity” of foreign currency, as well as tens of millions of dollars in gold bars, for “work-related expenses” from last November to March.</p>
<p>“During the search, FBI agents seized approximately 303 gold bars, each of which weighs approximately one kilogram,” <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/1044034039/David-Rush-Gold-Complaint" target="_blank" rel="noopener">court records</a> say. “Based on the current price of gold, the estimated value of the gold exceeds $40 million.”</p>
