I’m sitting here sipping my coffee and reading about a former senior CIA official who’s in a whole lot of trouble. David J. Rush, a 49-year-old from Ashburn, Virginia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and it’s a doozy of a story. According to court records, Rush used his position to enrich himself by acquiring Florida real estate and hundreds of gold bars worth over $40 million. I mean, who needs a 401k when you can just scam the government, right?
It gets even better. Rush fabricated a “highly classified” government program to justify buying luxury property in south Florida, which he then intended to resell for personal profit. And if that wasn’t enough, he also concocted a bogus “sensitive government activity” to get his hands on those gold bars. I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how you’re supposed to use government funds.
The Justice Department says Rush’s fraudulent conduct cost the federal government around $194 million in total losses. That’s a lot of money, folks. I’m not sure what’s more surprising, the fact that he managed to get away with it for so long or the fact that he thought he could get away with it at all. Prosecutors also accuse Rush of lying about his military and academic credentials, which is just the cherry on top of this scandal sundae.
Rush used his legitimate government authority to create confidence in his fake program, which is just a fancy way of saying he lied to a lot of people and got away with it for a while. The court filing says he “manufactured personal bona fides to create confidence in his directions,” which is just a nice way of saying he made stuff up as he went along.
The good news is that Rush has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on January 28 in Alexandria, Virginia, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens then. In the meantime, I’m just going to sit here and shake my head at the sheer audacity of this guy.
Several months ago, Rush tried to fraudulently authorize the release of $100 million from a government contract, because why not, right? He directed someone to transfer approximately $145 million to a holding company he formed, and then used those funds to buy four luxury properties in Palm Beach and Hobe Sound, Florida. I mean, I’ve heard of house flipping, but this is on a whole different level.
In previous court filings, prosecutors said Rush stashed roughly $46 million worth of gold bars from the federal government at his Virginia home. Because, you know, every home needs a few hundred gold bars lying around. They also accused him of fraudulently claiming tens of thousands of dollars in compensation for military leave after he was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 2015.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “Federal employees are entrusted with serving the American people, not themselves,” which is just a nice way of saying Rush was a bad apple. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the agency immediately referred the matter to the FBI after an internal investigation turned up evidence of Rush’s crimes, because of course they did.
Rush’s defense attorney, Jessica Carmichael, said her client properly obtained the gold bars and kept them locked in a safe in his basement, which is just the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I mean, who keeps $46 million worth of gold bars in their basement? “Mr. Rush never claimed they were his,” Carmichael said, which is just a fancy way of saying he didn’t technically steal them, he just kinda borrowed them.
Carmichael declined to comment on Rush’s guilty plea after Tuesday’s hearing, which is probably for the best. I mean, what’s left to say at this point? Authorities say Rush lied about his education and military background on job applications, falsely claiming to be a former Navy pilot who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University in South Carolina and a master’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. Because, you know, it’s always a good idea to pad your resume with a few fake degrees and military honors.
Investigators determined that he didn’t serve as a Navy pilot and didn’t attend either school, which is just shocking. I mean, who wouldn’t want to hire a guy with a completely fabricated background? Rush enlisted in the Navy in 1997 and was honorably discharged from the US Navy Reserve as a lieutenant in 2015, according to the FBI affidavit.
In conclusion, this whole story is just a big ol’ mess. I’m not sure what’s more surprising, the fact that Rush got away with it for so long or the fact that he thought he could get away with it at all. Either way, it’s a reminder that you can’t always trust the people in charge, and sometimes they’re just as crooked as the rest of us. And that’s a scary thought, folks. As I finish my coffee and wrap up this story, I’m just left thinking, wow, what a guy. 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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