Jewish American Charged in Israel with Spying for Iran for $1,400 in Crypto
- On Friday, the State Attorney's Office filed an indictment charging Eli Lavon, an American living in Israel, with spying for Iran. This marks the first time an American faces prosecution in Israel amid a wave of espionage cases.
- While visiting the United States in November 2025, Lavon answered a Telegram job advertisement. A foreign agent then assigned him photography tasks, paying him about $1,379 in cryptocurrency for the work.
- Assignments included photographing a religious neighborhood building and hiding a USB flash drive wrapped in a 50 shekel note in a Hadar Mall bathroom trash can with a note stating, "The job is complete."
- Arrested on June 9, Lavon faces two counts of Contact with a Foreign Agent and 14 counts of Communicating Information to the Enemy. His lawyer, Raz Bar Tzvi, argued that not every digital contact qualifies as an "atomic spy."
- Prosecutors note that several sites Lavon filmed were later targeted in Iranian missile attacks over the past year. Jerusalem District Attorney Ronit Shentzer Yaakobi stated the indictment illustrates how foreign agencies "exploit the digital sphere" to recruit individuals from within Israel.
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Young American Man in Jerusalem Indicted on Iran Espionage Charges
JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli prosecutors on Friday indicted a young American man living in Jerusalem on charges of spying for Iran, alleging he photographed sites in the capital and carried out other intelligence-gathering assignments in exchange for about $1,400 in cryptocurrency. The defendant, 21-year-old Eli Levon, is an American citizen, according to Israeli authorities. Prosecutors […]
Jewish American charged in Israel with spying for Iran for $1,400 in crypto
A US man living in Israel has been charged with spying for Iran in exchange for cryptocurrency funds, according to the State Attorney’s Office and an indictment filed on Friday, in what appears to be the first time an American faces prosecution amid a wave of espionage cases
Today, Israel accused a young man from Jerusalem of espionage for the benefit of Iran in late 2025 and early 2026, reports the Times of Israel.
Jerusalem man charged with spying for Iran, including filming key city sites
The 21-year-old is said to have received around 4,200 shekels (about $1,400) for collaboration with Iranian intelligence. The case is the latest in a wave of alleged Iranian recruitment operations targeting Israelis through social media and messaging apps
During a family visit to the USA, a 21-year-old Israeli is said to have been recruited by Iran. Upon his return, he is said to have taken orders and received crypto as payment. Source: BTC-ECHO BTC-ECHO
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