How a CIA officer convinced US government to give him $40M in gold bars — as new allegations about his past are revealed

NY Post ^ | 28 May 2026 | Priscilla DeGregory

[DUMBGRUNT]

A wannabe spy convinced the CIA to give him $40 million in gold bars by claiming it was for “work-related expenses” — and it was just the latest in a lengthy career full of increasingly brazen lies, according to federal prosecutors.

When the FBI raided his Virginia home on May 18, they found $2 million in greenbacks, 35 luxury watches — “many of which” were Rolexes — and more than 300 one-kilogram gold bars worth over $40 million.

The investigation further uncovered that Rush has claimed 744 hours of military leave on his official timesheet since his discharge more than 11 years ago, worth approximately $77,000 in compensation, the documents state.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: 300bars; crapgame; fraudtruth; governmenttruth; isitthemyogi; themagain

[DUMBGRUNT]

So you have a nice dinner with friends and pick up the check... Do you carry a Sawzall and zip a chunk off to cover the check?

[JennysCool]

A wannabe spy convinced the CIA to give him $40 million in gold bars by claiming it was for “work-related expenses”

Sure, okay, I mean, it's all wrong to do that and stuff, but you gotta admire the guy's chutzpah. It's in fact possible he could be the all-time King of Chutzpah.

[griswold3]

Says a lot about the “intelligence” of the .gov. At what point did they become suspicious? $39.9M?

[Dr. Sivana]

That reminds me of the Columbo episode “Identity Crisis” with Patrick McGoohan as the wealthy, talented CIA guy, who murders Leslie Nielsen at an amusement park.

[Sequoyah101]

First to jail are all the lazy, useless, link heads who permitted this.

How many other times has this been done?

[Sequoyah101]

Leslie Nielsen was murdered?

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

If so, there is NO way he was alone in this and others have gold bars too. Words escape me, they really do. Waterboard him and find out everything. If not, just give him the gold bars if you’re not going to do anything about it.

[Flag_This]

“Who Dares Wins”, but he should have listened to Kenny Roger’s “The Gambler” a few more times.

[31R1O]

Up there with the EPA guy that claimed he was doing secret agent work with the CIA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Beale?wprov=sfla1

[scrabblehack]

The investigation further uncovered that Rush has claimed 744 hours of military leave on his official timesheet since his discharge more than 11 years ago, worth approximately $77,000 in compensation, the documents state.

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So was he working for DoD AND CIA? I suppose the military job was his cover?

744 hours of military leave — so I assume he was working to get the leave in the first place?

[Merrick]

The story isn’t super-explicit, but that’s not even remotely the plain reading of the text. He left the military 11 years ago, and has been working in the CIA since. That’s the plain reading.

[logi_cal869]

According to Dana Loesch, the only reason he got caught was that he got greedy and falsified his time sheets.

If true, that should buoy everyone’s confidence in government. /s

[31R1O]

Sounds like it was civilian leave that you are authorized to take as an activated reservist/guard member.

[Dr. Sivana]

Leslie Nielsen was murdered?

His character was. At the time the episode was made he had steady work as a "serious" TV actor. Watching him in '70s finery and Patrick McGoohan hanging out at the amusement park now causes unintended laughs.

This Is How Spies Set Up Secret Meetings | Columbo

[dennisw]

Who this guy thinks he is? Some kind of Somalian?

[T. Rustin Noone]

$48,226,464 as I write today,

[scrabblehack]

OK, so that part wasn’t necessarily fraudulent.