FBI Offers $200K Reward for Ex-Air Force Agent Spying for Iran
Monica Witt FBI reward 2026
The FBI Washington Field Office announced a substantial $200,000 reward on Thursday, May 14, 2026, for information leading to the apprehension and prosecution of Monica Elfriede Witt. Witt is a former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence specialist who was charged in 2019 with espionage and transmitting highly sensitive national defense information to the Iranian government.
Federal authorities stated that the renewed focus on this case comes during a critical moment in regional history, especially as the United States and Iran have been in a state of open conflict since February 28, 2026. Investigators believe that Witt is currently residing in Iran and likely continues to support the regime’s intelligence activities against American interests.
Monica Witt served as an active-duty Air Force intelligence specialist and a special agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations from 1997 to 2008. During her military tenure and subsequent work as a Department of Defense contractor until 2010, she held Top Secret security clearances.
These roles granted her access to the true identities of undercover U.S. intelligence personnel and sensitive counterintelligence programs. According to the Justice Department, Witt was warned by the FBI about her interactions with Iranian officials before she ultimately defected to the country in 2013.
Her betrayal is considered one of the most significant intelligence breaches involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The federal indictment alleges that Witt shared classified information that directly endangered U.S. personnel and their families stationed overseas.
She is accused of conducting extensive research to help Iranian intelligence services target her former colleagues through social media and identity theft. The FBI maintains that her actions provided a direct benefit to the IRGC, an organization known for its unconventional warfare and support for militant groups. Daniel Wierzbicki, the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division, emphasized that the bureau has not forgotten her alleged crimes.
He urged anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts to contact the FBI or the nearest American Embassy.
Witt is described as a native of El Paso, Texas, who is fluent in Farsi and familiar with specialized counterintelligence tactics. The FBI has released updated wanted posters in multiple languages to reach potential informants worldwide.
As geopolitical tensions remain at an all-time high, the U.S. government is intensifying its efforts to bring fugitives accused of state-sponsored espionage to justice. This latest reward offer represents a significant escalation in the pursuit of Witt, who has evaded capture for more than a decade. Officials hope the financial incentive will encourage individuals within or outside of Iran to provide the specific intelligence needed to finalize her apprehension.
