Israeli government official arrested in Nevada in internet crimes against children sting

 

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich was released and returned to Israel after being charged with luring a child for a sex act

 

Ramon Antonio Vargas
Sat 16 Aug 2025 16.16 CEST

 

An Israeli government cybersecurity official was reportedly arrested recently by Las Vegas police and other authorities in Nevada who were conducting an undercover investigation aimed at online users seeking to sexually prey on children.

 

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, faces felony charges of luring a child with a computer for a sex act, alongside several other suspects who were apprehended during the two-week sting operation, the Las Vegas metropolitan police department said in a statement published on Friday. He has since been released from custody on $10,000 bail after an initial court appearance, records show, and returned to Israel.

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The Israeli news outlet Ynet reported on Wednesday that the US had detained “an employee of the Israel National Cyber Directorate” for interrogation while he was representing his country at a professional conference. That employee then returned to his hotel and flew back to Israel two days later.

 

“Israeli officials downplayed the incident, saying it carried ‘no political implications’ and was resolved quickly,” Ynet reported, without naming Alexandrovich or mentioning he had been arrested in connection with a felony charge leveled against him by Nevada law enforcement officials. “The reasons for the questioning remain unclear but may relate to the employee’s conduct.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/16/nevada-arrest-israeli-official