
By

Olivia Gazis covers intelligence and worldwide security matters for CBS Recordsdata. Twice Emmy-nominated, she has traveled worldwide with the secretary of utter and contributes reporting on intelligence, international protection and other security matters at some point of CBS Recordsdata broadcast, radio, on-line and streaming platforms.
/ CBS Recordsdata
Add CBS Recordsdata on Google
A extinct CIA legitimate used to be arrested closing week after FBI brokers allegedly chanced on $40 million price of gold bars at his home whereas investigating whether he lied about his tutorial and military background, per court docket info and sources conscious of the topic.
David Drag is presently being held in jail whereas each his protection attorneys and federal prosecutors “gather and evaluate additional information” to lend a hand the court docket in figuring out whether he have to unexcited remain detained, court docket filings pronounce. They’ve jointly requested to effect aside off his detention listening to until June 5 within the U.S. District Court docket for the Japanese District of Virginia.
In a joint commentary from the FBI and CIA, each agencies said that Drag used to be arrested following a referral from the CIA, after an inner investigation identified “potential violations of law.”
The CIA and FBI added they are continuing to review the topic.
Jessica Carmichael, a protection felony knowledgeable representing Drag, declined to comment.
Drag used to be charged with one count of stealing public money. In an unusual criminal complaint, the FBI accuses Drag of taking the gold bars, “obtaining a fraudulently inflated salary and fraudulently obtaining military leave” and making a litany of fraudulent statements about his background. The complaint doesn’t specify exactly what alleged behavior resulted in the costs.
Between November 2025 and March of this year, Drag allegedly made quite a lot of requests to the authorities to originate gargantuan amounts of international currencies and tens of thousands and thousands of bucks in gold bars for work-linked costs, the complaint says.
Drag’s employer on the time, which sources confirmed used to be the CIA, used to be now not ready to later stumble on the gold bars or establish their supposed use.
When FBI brokers searched his home on Would possibly per chance per chance well also 18, they came at some point of roughly 303 gold bars, in a trace estimated to exceed $40 million, the complaint says. They moreover recovered $2 million in U.S. forex and 35 luxury watches.
David Drag used to be charged with one count of stealing public money. Alexandria Sheriff’s Discipline of business ![]()
The FBI moreover accused Drag of lying to the U.S. Navy when he enlisted in 1997 by providing them with transcripts and other info falsely indicating he had earned an undergraduate degree from Clemson College. Because of the his ostensible degree, Drag used to be commissioned as an ensign within the U.S. Navy Reserves in 2004 and used to be honorably discharged in 2015.
The complaint says he then applied for employment with the federal authorities three instances, citing degrees from Clemson College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Naval Postgraduate College. He moreover listed these faculties when he applied for his security clearance.
Later, in 2018, he submitted an application to enter senior executive provider and claimed to be a graduate of the US Air Force Test Pilot College, as well to the contemporary director of take a look at for a 145-person, 18-aircraft joint Army/Navy weapons take a look at group, the complaint says.
“The FBI’s investigation has revealed that Rush’s applications contained false information about his education background and work with the United States military,” the sworn commentary accompanying the complaint says, noting that he did now not graduate from Clemson or RPI, and never served as a pilot for the Navy.
The FBI moreover accused Drag of telling the authorities he used to be within the Navy Reserves even if he had been honorably discharged, allowing him to bid tens of thousands of bucks in compensation for military proceed away.



