Former CIA officer's plea hearing set after discovery of 303 gold bars

David Rush, an ex-CIA officer, is slated for a plea-agreement hearing on Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, presided over by Judge Michael Nachmanoff. Authorities discovered 303 gold bars worth $40 million at his home, prompting charges of theft of public funds tied to falsified payroll documents. Unnamed investigators also allege he invented a non-existent CIA program.

A negotiated plea would spare the government a lengthy trial and limit disclosure of potential CIA missteps. Rush remains in custody and has not yet entered a plea. The case has drawn attention to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, who previously worked with Rush, though Feinberg denies a close relationship and is not under investigation.