Another Israeli has been arrested for allegedly spying for Iran. In a joint operation last month, the ISA and the Israel Police Northern District arrested Artyom Zolotarev (33) from Nof Hagalil in northern Israel.
Zolotarev is suspected of committing security offenses by maintaining contact with Iranian intelligence elements and carrying out security-related tasks at their behest, in exchange for financial compensation.
He was arrested after committing vandalism in multiple locations in the Nof Hagalil, Haifa, and Migdal Ha'emek areas as well as torching a vehicle in Haifa.
The ISA and police investigation found that in October contact was made online between the suspect and a character known as "Eliad" who suggested that Zolotarev spray anti-government graffiti to change the political situation in Israel.
Zolotarev vandalized dozens of locations in the Nof Hagalil, Haifa, and Migdal Ha'emek areas while photographing and filming the acts and sending them to "Eliad." After he sent the footage to "Eliad" he erased the graffiti since he didn't want people to see what he wrote. He was compensated $2,800 in cryptocurrency for his act.
The investigation also found that Zolotarev also refused to carry out other tasks, such as: photographing apartment buildings and power transformers and torching a car. After seeing a video on TikTok about the arrest of Motti Maman - an Israeli citizen who traveled to Iran twice to meet with intelligence officials - and about Vladislav Victorson and Anna Bernstein who carried out similar tasks for Iranian agents, he understood that "Eliad" was an Iranian agent.
After Zolotarev understood that "Eliad" was an Iranian agent, the agent offered him $125,000 to murder someone and then escape to Russia or Iran. He was also asked to purchase a handgun for someone else, but he refused both offers. However, he did torch a car in Haifa at the behest of his Iranian commander in exchange for $2,000.
Later, "Eliad" referred him to another agent known as "Boaz Mar," and under his direction, the suspect carried out additional tasks of vandalism in Haifa and Afula, writing "Ruhollah's Children" (referring to former Iranian Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini). He also torched another car in Haifa while filming it and sending the video to his commander.
In exchange for his actions, he received thousands of dollars in crypto.
He is set to be indicted on Monday in the Nazareth District Court on charges of contact with a foreign agent, arson, and vandalism.