Former CIA Official Accused of Stealing $40 Mln in Gold

A former senior CIA official is facing allegations of stealing more than $40 million worth of gold bars and orchestrating a complex fraud scheme linked to one of the United States' most sensitive security programs.

According to U.S. media reports, David Roach, who held a senior position at the Central Intelligence Agency for 17 years, was arrested in May after investigators allegedly discovered 303 gold bars, luxury watches, and more than $2 million in foreign currency connected to him.

Federal authorities also accuse Roach of creating a fraudulent Special Access Program, a highly classified security framework used to protect sensitive government information. Prosecutors allege he used the scheme to persuade colleagues to transfer millions of dollars into what was presented as a government contract that investigators later determined was fictitious.

Roach, who is being held in Virginia, faces multiple charges including theft of public funds, fraud, and allegedly falsifying military and educational credentials to secure employment and obtain high-level security clearances.

The case has triggered scrutiny of oversight and vetting procedures within the CIA, while federal investigations into the alleged misconduct continue.