21-year-old US citizen charged in Israel with spying for Iran and receiving cryptocurrency

Odaily reported that Eli Lavon, an American citizen studying at an ultra-Orthodox yeshiva in Jerusalem, has been indicted in Israel on espionage-related charges. According to the indictment, Lavon faces two counts of contact with a foreign agent and 14 counts of transmitting information that could potentially aid the enemy.

Prosecutors allege that Lavon was recruited via Telegram, photographed sensitive locations, and concealed items with coded messages for Iran-linked contacts. He received approximately $1,379 in cryptocurrency as payment from two contacts. Lavon's attorney, Raz Bar Tzvi, told CNN that being contacted by a foreign actor online does not make someone a spy and that the facts stated in the indictment are insufficient to support the charges. (Decrypt)