Kash Patel Seen Partying With Prosecutor Ruled Unlawfully Appointed and Accused Online of Helping Israeli Official Leave US After Child-Sex Charge

FBI Director Kash Patel has been pictured socialising with Sigal Chattah, the Nevada federal prosecutor whose service as acting US attorney was ruled unlawful, reigniting an unsupported online accusation that she helped an Israeli cybersecurity official leave the United States after his arrest in a child-sex sting.

The photograph circulated after Chattah shared images from the New York wedding of former Trump lawyer Alina Habba and Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon, which Patel also attended.

One X user reposted the image and accused Chattah of helping Tom Artiom Alexandrovich return to Israel following his August 2025 arrest in Nevada. However, court records and contemporary reporting do not establish that Chattah arranged Alexandrovich's release, bail conditions or departure from the country.

Chattah's Acting US Attorney Role Ruled Unlawful

The renewed attention comes after the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on 17 August that Chattah could not lawfully serve as Nevada's acting US attorney through the mechanism the Trump administration used.

The court upheld an order disqualifying her from supervising several federal prosecutions, rejecting the Justice Department's attempt to keep her in the role by appointing her first assistant US attorney after her interim term expired.

Chattah became interim US attorney effective 1 April 2025 before Attorney General Pam Bondi later sought to extend her authority through a different vacancy provision.

She has continued serving as first assistant US attorney. The Trump administration asked the US Supreme Court on 9 September to overturn the Ninth Circuit decision.

What Happened in the Alexandrovich Case

Alexandrovich, an Israeli cybersecurity official, was arrested on 6 August 2025 during an undercover operation targeting alleged child-sex offences near Las Vegas.

Prosecutors allege he communicated with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old girl and arranged to meet her. He has contested the allegations and is presumed innocent.

Alexandrovich posted $10,000 bail the following day and subsequently returned to Israel. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said the bail was a standard, preset amount that allowed Alexandrovich to be released without first appearing before a judge.

The US State Department denied allegations that the federal government intervened to allow him to leave. Federal officials and the Clark County district attorney also rejected claims that he received special treatment.

Chattah Publicly Called for His Return

Chattah's public statements also contradicted the claim that she helped Alexandrovich leave the country. Her office said at the time that Clark County authorities, rather than federal prosecutors, were prosecuting the case.

Chattah later criticised state authorities for failing to seize Alexandrovich's passport and publicly demanded that he be returned to the US to face prosecution. The criminal case has continued despite his return to Israel.

On 28 August 2026, the Nevada Court of Appeals denied Alexandrovich's petition challenging a lower court's refusal to overturn his indictment over alleged defects in the grand-jury proceedings.

He was indicted on a charge of luring children or mentally ill persons through technology with the intent to engage in sexual conduct. Alexandrovich filed a petition for rehearing on 11 September, meaning the appellate proceedings remain ongoing.

The photograph of Patel and Chattah has nevertheless provided fresh ammunition for critics, particularly following the court battle over Chattah's authority as acting US attorney. But the more serious accusation attached to the image, that Chattah personally helped Alexandrovich leave the United States, remains unsupported by the public record.