FBI Offers $200,000 Reward for Capture of Ex-Air Force Specialist Accused of Espionage in Iran
The FBI has announced a $200,000 reward for information leading to the capture and prosecution of Monica Elfriede Witt, a former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence specialist. Witt, who defected to Iran in 2013, was indicted in February 2019 on charges of espionage, including transmitting national defense information to the Iranian government. Witt, 47, allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution by providing sensitive information to Iran, which could endanger U.S. personnel and their families stationed abroad. The FBI's renewed focus on Witt's case comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran, which have been at war since February 28. Witt served in the Air Force from 1997 to 2008, where she was trained in Farsi and deployed on classified missions. She later worked as a Defense Department contractor before defecting to Iran after attending conferences that promoted anti-Western propaganda. 
