Ex-US spy found with $40m in gold bars pleads guilty to wire fraud – BBC

Ex-US spy found with $40m in gold bars pleads guilty to wire fraud  BBC

David Rush, who also confessed to providing secrets to a foreign government, had revealed the existence of a "clandestine human source", prosecutors said. A former CIA officer who was arrested after authorities found hundreds of gold bars stashed in his home has admitted to defrauding the US government in a sprawling $200m (£151m) scam involving fake contracts and real estate. David Rush, 49, is required to pay restitution to the government and forfeit luxury real estate, cars, watches and other assets tied to his crime as part of the plea deal. Rush also confessed to providing secrets to a foreign government, which could have caused "grave damage" to national security.

"The defendant will plead guilty because the defendant is in fact guilty of the charged offense," prosecutors stated in a court filing outlining the plea deal. The BBC has contacted Rush's lawyer, who declined to comment. Rush was initially charged with theft of public funds, but has now pleaded guilty to wire fraud. At the time of his arrest, a raid on his home uncovered 298 gold bars that he had received for "work-related expenses". Court filings around the deal bring new details to light, including that Rush revealed the existence and description of a "clandestine human source" to a foreign official. "The disclosure of such information could endanger the