The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Monica Witt, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist charged with spying for Iran. Witt, who allegedly defected to Iran in 2013, was indicted in 2019 for transmitting classified national defense information to Tehran. The FBI believes she continues to support Iran’s intelligence activities.
Immediate Action & Core Facts
The FBI announced the reward on Thursday, emphasizing the urgency of locating Witt amid ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions. Special Agent Daniel Wierzbicki stated, "The FBI has not forgotten and believes that during this critical moment in Iran’s history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts."
Deeper Dive & Context
Witt, who served in the Air Force from 1997 to 2008 and later as a Defense Department contractor, had access to highly classified intelligence. Prosecutors allege she revealed a classified U.S. intelligence program and the identity of a U.S. intelligence officer, endangering their life. She reportedly received housing and computer equipment from Iranian officials after defecting.
The 2019 indictment also charged four Iranians with conspiracy and aggravated identity theft for assisting Witt in targeting her former U.S. colleagues. The FBI claims her actions benefited Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which supports terrorist organizations targeting U.S. interests.
Witt traveled to Iran in 2012 for a conference criticizing U.S. policies and returned in 2013, where she allegedly began working for Tehran. The FBI’s reward underscores the ongoing effort to apprehend her and bring her to justice.