Monica Witt
Witt served in Air Force counterintelligence from 1997 to 2008 with top secret clearance before defecting to Iran Mario Nawfal/X

The FBI is offering $200,000 (£150,000) for information leading to the arrest of Monica Witt, a former US Air Force intelligence specialist who allegedly handed Iran the true identities of undercover American intelligence officers and hasn't been seen outside Iranian borders in over a decade.

Why the FBI Moved Now

The FBI Washington Field Office announced the reward on Thursday, 14 May, the same day President Donald Trump opened a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The US has been at war with Iran since 28 February, when American and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes against Iranian military, government, and nuclear sites. A Pakistan-mediated ceasefire was declared on 8 April, but negotiations have since collapsed, and the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iran.

The timing matters. Daniel Wierzbicki, special agent in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division, said Witt 'likely continues to support their nefarious activities.' He added that 'during this critical moment in Iran's history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts.'

What Witt Allegedly Gave Tehran

Witt, 47, is a former active-duty Air Force intelligence specialist and special agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). She served from 1997 to 2008, then worked as a US government contractor until 2010. That career gave her access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information, including the real names of US Intelligence Community personnel working undercover.

A federal grand jury in Washington, DC, indicted her in February 2019 on espionage charges. Prosecutors alleged she conspired from around January 2012 to May 2015 to deliver national defence information to the Iranian government. The Department of Justice said at the time that she revealed a highly classified intelligence collection programme and the identity of at least one US intelligence officer, 'thereby risking the life of this individual.'

An Active Threat During an Active War

The FBI said Witt's defection to Iran in 2013 directly benefited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which handles intelligence collection, unconventional warfare, and support for organisations that target American citizens and interests. She allegedly provided information that endangered US personnel and their families stationed overseas and conducted research that allowed Iranian intelligence to target her former colleagues in the US government.

Four Iranian nationals were also charged in the same indictment for conspiracy, computer intrusion, and aggravated identity theft. They allegedly used information Witt provided to launch cyberattacks against at least eight of her former US government colleagues through spear-phishing and malware campaigns.

During an active war with Iran, those compromised identities don't sit in a file. They represent real people whose cover was potentially blown by someone who once swore to protect them.

Where Is Monica Witt?

The FBI describes Witt as a native of El Paso, Texas, approximately 5 feet 6 inches (167.6 cm) tall, weighing 120 pounds (54.4 kg). She speaks Farsi and is believed to be living in Iran. She may be using aliases, including Fatemah Zahra or Narges Witt.

After she defected, Iranian government officials provided her with housing and computer equipment to support her work for Tehran, according to the indictment.

Anyone with information can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips through tips.fbi.gov.

The question that intelligence officials won't answer publicly is the one that matters most. How many US agents were compromised by Witt's alleged betrayal, and in the middle of a shooting war with Iran, are they safe today?

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