The Federal Bureau of Investigation has offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a former U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist accused of spying for Iran, according to a statement from the agency.
The FBI said Monica Witt, a former active-duty Air Force intelligence specialist and special agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, has been indicted on charges of espionage, including transmitting national defence information to the Iranian government, Caliber.Az reports via US media.
Witt served in the U.S. military between 1997 and 2008, later working as a government contractor until 2010, during which she had access to classified material, including information on undercover personnel within the U.S. intelligence community.
Officials allege that in 2013, Witt defected to Iran and provided information to the country’s government, placing sensitive national defence programmes and personnel at risk.
The FBI said Witt’s actions have supported Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which it described as involved in intelligence collection and operations against U.S. interests.
She remains at large and is believed to be living in Iran, where she may be using aliases.
“Monica Witt allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution more than a decade ago by defecting to Iran and providing the Iranian regime National Defense Information and likely continues to support their nefarious activities,” said Daniel Wierzbicki, special agent in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division.
“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,” Wierzbicki continued. “The FBI wants to hear from you so you can help us apprehend Witt and bring her to justice.”
The FBI is urging anyone with information to contact its hotline or submit tips via official channels.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
