The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the capture of former U.S. Air Force operative Monica Witt, who is believed to have defected to Iran in 2013.
In a statement, the FBI said Witt is “likely still involved in supporting unlawful activities on behalf of Iran.” Officials also urged the public to come forward with any information about her whereabouts.
Daniel Wierzbicki, a senior counterintelligence official at the FBI in Washington, said the agency has not stopped searching for her and believes that information from the public could help bring her to justice.
Witt previously served as a counterintelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and worked in the Middle East between 2003 and 2008.
U.S. prosecutors allege that she was recruited by Iranian intelligence and later defected, sharing highly classified intelligence information, including details that allegedly exposed a U.S. intelligence officer and compromised national security operations.
According to a 2019 statement from then–Assistant Attorney General John Demers, Witt is accused of collaborating with Iranian operatives between 2012 and 2015 and transmitting sensitive U.S. defense-related information intended to benefit Iran.
The indictment further claims that after her defection, Iranian officials provided her with housing, equipment, and logistical support to continue intelligence-related activities.
Witt remains wanted by U.S. authorities, and it is still unclear whether she has legal representation in the United States.
