Judge orders detention of ex-CIA official found with $40 million in gold bars

A judge ordered the detention of an ex-CIA official found with gold bars worth about $40 million in his home last month. U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick said in a detention hearing Friday that David Rush must remain in custody pending trial, determining that he poses a severe flight risk. Fitzpatrick said Rush has the means and motive to flee law enforcement and evade detection. David Rush was charged with one count of stealing public money. Alexandria Sheriff's Office In May, as FBI investigators were looking into whether Rush had lied about his educational and military background, they searched his home and discovered 303 gold bars, $2 million in cash and more than 30 luxury watches. The government's lawyers alleged he was diversifying funds into commodities that could be traded. They claimed there is "strong evidence" Rush was trying to hide the funds. During the open part of the hearing, which followed an hourlong sealed hearing, government lawyers called Rush a "master manipulator" who lied to his neighbors about being a pilot, lied to his co-workers and leveraged his "access to seniority." A Justice Department lawyer said Rush "cannot be trusted" and is "fully willing and able to skirt the rules." Rush is currently being held in solitary confinement. So far, Rush, who attended the Alexandria, Virginia, hearing Friday, only faces one charge alleging about $70,000 in fraudulent timesheets. …