David Rush, a 17-year C.I.A. veteran, was arrested on May 18 after authorities discovered more than $40 million in gold bars at his residence. The 49-year-old officer served in the agency's Directorate of Science and Technology and held a senior rank before his arrest on charges of stealing public money through fraudulent time sheets.

Rush previously worked with Stephen A. Feinberg, now deputy secretary of defense, during President Trump's first term. Both men served on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, where Feinberg chaired the group and Rush appears to have first made contact. Officials say the two men were not close, and Feinberg had no involvement in Rush's scheme.

Court papers reveal Rush received tens of millions in gold bars and foreign currency from November to March for "work-related expenses." When the C.I.A. reviewed where the assets were stored, they couldn't locate them. The F.B.I. later found 303 gold bars weighing approximately 2.2 pounds each in Rush's home. Prosecutors also accused him of inflating academic credentials and falsifying work history.

The case raises questions about oversight within the intelligence community's financial operations and highlights potential vulnerabilities in how covert program funding is monitored and distributed.