Former U.S. intelligence insider allegedly aided Iran, exposing dangerous threats to American and allied security.
The FBI has announced a $200,000 reward for information that helps lead to the arrest and prosecution of Monica Witt, a former U.S. counterintelligence specialist accused of betraying America and assisting Iran after defecting more than a decade ago.
Witt was indicted in 2019 on espionage-related charges, including allegations that she transmitted classified national defense information to the Iranian government. Her case remains a serious counterintelligence concern because of the sensitive positions she once held inside the American security establishment.
From 1997 to 2008, Witt served as an active-duty intelligence specialist and special agent with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. She later worked as a government contractor until 2010. According to authorities, these roles gave her access to SECRET and TOP SECRET intelligence, including information linked to undercover U.S. intelligence personnel.
The FBI alleges that Witt defected to Iran in 2013 and then helped the Iranian regime by sharing information that endangered American intelligence operations and personnel overseas. Investigators also say she researched former U.S. colleagues in a way that could have helped Iran target them.
The bureau stated that Witt’s alleged actions benefited Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a force designated by Washington as a terrorist organization. Officials described the case as an ongoing national security matter, warning that betrayal from inside the intelligence community can have long-lasting consequences for the United States, Israel, and other allies confronting Iran’s hostile activities.
The FBI believes Witt may still be in Iran. She is fluent in Farsi and may use aliases including Fatemah Zahra and Narges Witt.
