The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington Field Office has announced a reward of up to $200,000 for information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of Monica Witt, a former United States counterintelligence agent accused of spying for the Iranian government and leaking classified American defence information.
Witt, a former intelligence specialist with the U.S. Air Force and ex-special agent of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., in February 2019 on multiple espionage-related charges. U.S. authorities accused her of unlawfully transmitting sensitive national defence information to Iran after defecting to the country.
According to the FBI, Witt served in the United States military between 1997 and 2008 before later working as a defence contractor until 2010. During her years of service, she reportedly held security clearances that granted her access to highly classified intelligence materials, including SECRET and TOP SECRET information connected to American military and intelligence operations.
Investigators said her duties exposed her to sensitive details concerning undercover U.S. intelligence personnel and national security operations. Authorities believe the knowledge she acquired while serving in the American intelligence community later became valuable to the Iranian government after her defection.
The FBI alleged that Witt travelled to Iran in 2013 and subsequently aligned herself with the Iranian regime, where she allegedly began assisting Iranian intelligence operations. U.S. officials accused her of providing classified information capable of compromising American intelligence missions and putting the lives of U.S. personnel at risk.
Authorities also claimed that Witt played a role in intelligence-gathering activities designed to help Iranian operatives identify and target her former colleagues within the American intelligence and defence community.
According to the FBI, her actions significantly aided Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an organisation that the United States has repeatedly accused of supporting extremist groups, conducting covert intelligence operations, and engaging in activities hostile to American interests around the world.
The bureau maintained that Witt’s alleged cooperation with Iran represented a major breach of U.S. national security and one of the most serious known defections involving a former American counterintelligence official in recent years.
Despite being indicted in 2019, Witt has remained beyond the reach of U.S. authorities and is still considered a fugitive.
Announcing the reward, the FBI renewed efforts to track her down and urged the public to assist with information that could lead to her capture.
Daniel Wierzbicki, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division, described Witt’s actions as a betrayal of the United States and its constitutional principles.
“Monica Witt allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution more than a decade ago by defecting to Iran and providing the Iranian regime with National Defense Information, and likely continues to support their nefarious activities,” Wierzbicki said in a statement released by the agency.
He added that the FBI remained committed to ensuring she faces justice despite the passage of time.
“The FBI has not forgotten and believes that during this critical moment in Iran’s history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts. The FBI wants to hear from you so you can help us apprehend Witt and bring her to justice,” he stated.
The FBI encouraged anyone with information concerning Witt’s location or activities to contact the agency through its hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI, any local FBI office, or the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
Authorities also said tips could be submitted electronically through the FBI’s official online tip portal.
The case has continued to attract international attention because of the sensitive nature of the allegations and the broader tensions between the United States and Iran over intelligence activities, cyber operations, and regional security.
American officials have repeatedly accused Iran of conducting espionage campaigns targeting U.S. military personnel, intelligence officers, government institutions, and critical infrastructure. Iran has consistently denied many of such allegations.
Security analysts say the Monica Witt case underscores growing concerns over insider threats within intelligence agencies, where individuals with access to sensitive information may become vulnerable to ideological influence, recruitment, or foreign manipulation.
The case also highlighted the strategic importance governments place on counterintelligence operations aimed at preventing classified information from falling into hostile hands.
U.S. authorities insist they remain determined to locate Witt and prosecute her for the alleged offences, describing the matter as a significant national security priority.
The FBI’s renewed appeal for public assistance comes amid broader efforts by American intelligence and law enforcement agencies to strengthen counterespionage measures and monitor foreign intelligence activities targeting the United States and its allies.
