Jerusalem Man Arrested for Espionage for Iran in Exchange for Cryptocurrency

Eli Levon, a 21-year-old resident of Jerusalem, was indicted by the Israeli State Prosecutor's Office for allegedly collaborating with Iranian intelligence agents and conducting espionage activities on their behalf. The indictment was filed at the Jerusalem District Court alongside a request to detain Levon until the conclusion of legal proceedings. According to the indictment, Levon established contact in late 2025 and early 2026 with individuals identifying themselves as "Sina" and "Alexander," who were operatives of Iranian intelligence. Despite knowing they were foreign agents, Levon continued to cooperate and carried out several security-related tasks for them.

Levon's activities included photographing sensitive locations in Jerusalem such as the central bus station and a building in the Bukharim neighborhood. He also planted notes in the Hadar Mall and concealed a USB device wrapped in a 50-shekel bill in a Jerusalem restaurant, documenting these actions and sending the evidence to his handlers. For these tasks, Levon received approximately $1,379 in cryptocurrency payments from the Iranian agents, a method that obscures identities and complicates financial tracking. This case is part of a broader pattern of Iranian intelligence recruiting Israeli citizens through social media and financial incentives.

The investigation was conducted by the Jerusalem District Police's Central Unit and the Shin Bet security service. Attorney Ronit Shnitzer Yakobi from the Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office emphasized the dangers of seemingly minor requests via platforms like Telegram, which can quickly escalate into cooperation with hostile foreign entities. She urged vigilance and immediate disengagement from such contacts to protect national security. Levon faces charges of contact with a foreign agent and providing information to the enemy that could benefit it. Further updates are expected as the case progresses.