Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, the chief division head at the Israel National Cyber Directorate, was arrested in Las Vegas. He was arrested during a police sting operation targeting predators looking to exploit minors online. It was coordinated by Nevada’s Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. In the end, they arrested eight men who were believed to have solicited underage girls for sex.
Alexanderovitch learned through these charges that he had communicated internationally in text chats with an undercover officer impersonating a 15-year-old girl. In these contacts, he indicated plans to meet for sexual intercourse and had a condom in the meeting he had arranged. According to police records, Alexandrovich wanted to take the decoy to a Cirque du Soleil show. They were in for a memorable evening in Las Vegas.
When Aleksandrovich was arrested, he allegedly told police that he felt embarrassed by what had happened. He insisted that he thought he was corresponding with an 18 year old, not a girl underage. That his arrest was even possible speaks volumes—the man was the chief of cybersecurity for the Israeli government, after all.
Alexandrovich heads the Technological Defense Division of the Israel National Cyber Directorate. He has been indispensable in the past few years to the public discussion around cybersecurity and tech defense. According to his LinkedIn profile—which he appears to have deleted since the incident—Mr. By joint agreement between the Cyber Directorate and himself, he is currently on administrative leave from his post.
Luring a child for sexual acts via computer is a class A felony under Nevada law. If found guilty, you would be sentenced to state prison for a term ranging from one year to ten years. The Department of State confirmed awareness of Alexandrovich’s arrest and stated that he did not claim diplomatic immunity during his detainment.
“The Department of State is aware that Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, an Israeli citizen, was arrested in Las Vegas and given a court date for charges related to soliciting sex electronically from a minor,” – The Department of State.
Furthermore, the Department went on to further dispel any potential claims that the U.S. government used undue influence in his case. According to Netanyahu’s office, local American bureaucrats harassed a state worker while on their trip. After all that happened, Alexandrovich was still able to return to Israel as originally planned.
This case has attracted a lot of media attention, and commentary has rolled in from all sides. Even Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene condemned this debacle. She continued, “They let go a child sex predator who’s been dealing with Israel… who updated their filing structure directly under the prime minister of Israel.”
The implications of Alexandrovich’s arrest extend beyond personal consequences. They raise concerns regarding the integrity of cybersecurity leadership and the potential risks associated with individuals in high-ranking positions engaged in illicit activities. His new post at the Cyber Directorate had long been linked with developments in cybersecurity technology and defense strategy.