U.S. arrests Israeli cyber chief over alleged child sexual exploitation

A cybersecurity official from Israel’s cabinet was detained by Las Vegas police along with other Nevada state authorities. The arrest came as part of a covert investigation aimed at identifying online users seeking children for sexual purposes.

In a statement, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced that Tom Artyom Alexandrovich, 38, along with several other suspects detained during a two-week operation, faces serious charges of attempting to lure a child online for sexual acts.

Records show that Alexandrovich was released on a $10,000 bail after his initial court appearance and subsequently returned to the occupied territories.

A screenshot from Alexandrovich’s LinkedIn account described him as the Executive Director of the Israeli Cyber Authority, an agency under the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Other online information also identified him in the same role.

Reports indicate Alexandrovich was in Las Vegas to attend an annual cybersecurity experts’ conference. His LinkedIn profile has since been deleted.

Hebrew-language outlet Ynet previously reported that U.S. authorities had briefly detained an employee of Israel’s Cyber Authority—who was representing Israel at a professional conference—for questioning. The report said the employee later returned to his hotel and flew back to Israel two days later.

Ynet, without naming Alexandrovich or mentioning that he was facing criminal charges brought by Nevada law enforcement, claimed Israeli officials had downplayed the incident, saying it had “no political consequences” and was “resolved quickly.” The reasons for the questioning, it added, were unclear but might have been related to the official’s behavior.

According to U.S. authorities, Nevada’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force conducted the operation that led to Alexandrovich’s arrest, along with seven others in Henderson, near Las Vegas. Police stated that all suspects believed they were meeting underage individuals, but instead encountered undercover officers and were arrested.