The case of a former CIA official is headed toward a legal settlement, after David J. Roche, in whose home gold bullion worth more than $40 million was found, reached a preliminary plea agreement after he was accused of stealing public funds by fraudulently inflating his salary, according to court records.
In a move that allows both parties to complete the agreement, a federal judge extended the deadline for filing a formal indictment against Roche until next October 8, giving federal prosecutors and his lawyers more time to finalize the plea deal.
The deal would spare Roche a public trial, which both parties said could lead to complex legal disputes, as well as the potential disclosure of confidential information.
The joint document submitted to the court by the US Attorney’s Office and Roche’s lawyer did not reveal the details of the initial plea deal.
Rush was charged with theft of public funds last May, and he was also accused of fraudulently registering and claiming 744 hours of military leave on his time cards, after he was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2015.
Roche was also accused of inflating his salary by falsely claiming degrees from Clemson University in South Carolina and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, according to an affidavit filed in court by an FBI agent.
The same statement revealed that investigators searched Roche’s home, where they seized about 300 gold bars worth more than $40 million, along with about $2 million in American currency, and about 35 luxury watches.
