The State Attorney’s Office filed serious espionage charges Tuesday against Nissan Aviv, 39, of Bat Yam, accusing him of contact with a foreign agent and passing information to an enemy. According to the indictment, Aviv sent sensitive information to Iran via Telegram in exchange for cash payments, knowing the intelligence could serve the enemy.
The indictment was filed in Tel Aviv District Court by attorney Tal Salganik of the Tel Aviv District Attorney’s Office. According to the charges, in late 2025 Aviv made contact through a Facebook dating group with a profile named “Elizabeth Brown.” After he shared details about his life with her, “Elizabeth” offered to connect him with a friend who worked at “an organization that could help.” A foreign agent then contacted him on Telegram.
The agent asked Aviv to send a video introducing himself and detailing where he lived and his medical condition, in exchange for payment. After Aviv complied, he received a payment of about $20 to a digital wallet and was told “don’t tell anyone about this.” When later asked if he wanted to earn more money, he agreed.
Between February and April 2026—during Operation Lion’s Roar, when Israeli forces were operating in Iran—Aviv passed sensitive information to the foreign agent. The intelligence included details about missile impact locations in Israel, updates on the country’s emergency status, and reports on damage to infrastructure. He received additional payments in exchange for this information.
The indictment emphasizes that Aviv acted with clear knowledge that he was in contact with a foreign agent hostile to the State of Israel, and that the information he provided could benefit the enemy. The prosecution filed a motion alongside the indictment to keep Aviv in custody until the end of legal proceedings against him.