A top Israeli cyber security official was arrested in Las Vegas for attempting to commit sex crimes against a child with disabilities. He was released on bail and returned to Israel.
A statement released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Tom Artiom Alexandrovich was among eight people arrested following a two-week sting operation targeting child sex predators. The FBI participated in the investigation.
Alexandrovich is a senior official in Israel’s National Cyber Directorate. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied that an Israeli official was arrested in the US for child sex crimes, Ynet said it reviewed documents showing that Alexandrovich was arrested.
A bio published by Cyber Tech Global Tel Aviv explains that the official “played a key role in designing and building Israel’s groundbreaking ‘Cyber Dome’ program. [He] has shaped national cybersecurity policies not only in Israel but also on the international stage.” It adds, “Alexandrovich has significantly strengthened [Israel’s] cyber resilience. His contributions also include co-founding Israel’s National Aviation Cybersecurity Program and earning the Israel Defense Prize for Special Achievement.”
He is accused of using a computer to lure a child with mental disabilities for sexual purposes. Alexandrovich was released on $10,000 bail and returned to Israel. He has a court date in Nevada scheduled for August 27.
A statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office claimed the arrest had “no diplomatic implications” for the Washington-Tel Aviv relationship.
