Israeli man arrested for spying for Iran
- Dimitri Cohen was arrested for gathering sensitive information for Iranian intelligence.
- He allegedly received payments in cryptocurrency for his espionage activities.
- This case highlights ongoing attempts by Iran to recruit Israeli citizens for security breaches.
In late May 2023, an Israeli man named Dimitri Cohen, 27, was arrested in Haifa on charges of espionage for Iran. Cohen, who immigrated to Israel a few years prior, was suspected of gathering sensitive information about Israeli military sites, strategic locations, and high-profile individuals in exchange for payment from Iranian operatives. Authorities stated that Cohen contacted an Iranian intelligence agent through a job search website aimed at Russian-speaking immigrants and carried out several missions over a three-week suspect period, including surveillance on the fiancée of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son. During his arrest, Cohen initially denied knowing about the Iranian connection but later admitted to suspecting the nature of his interactions. The Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, highlighted a worrying trend where multiple civilians are being recruited for espionage against Israel. In a joint operation with police units, two other Jewish individuals were arrested shortly after Cohen on similar charges of acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence, reflecting ongoing efforts by Iran to infiltrate Israeli society through recruitment. This situation has raised serious national security concerns, prompting Israeli officials to issue warnings against cooperating with foreign agents.