Ramat Gan resident indicted on charges of spying for Iranian agent

The State Attorney’s Office filed an indictment on Monday against Eden Debs, 30, of Ramat Gan for performing tasks for and receiving cryptocurrency payment from an Iranian foreign agent.

Debs was in contact with an entity acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence agencies, according to the indictment filed by attorney Nathaniel Bojo from the Central District Attorney’s Office. The agents contacted him through a Telegram group called “The People’s Army,” whose purpose is to establish contact with additional residents of Israel to recruit them, ask them to take pictures, send parcels, and engage in other activities, the indictment said.

In addition to the indictment, the State Attorney’s Office submitted a request that Debs be detained until the end of legal proceedings against him.

“The respondent maintained contact with an intelligence agency from an enemy country, and within the framework of this contact, he assisted it in its war against the State of Israel,” the request said. “Among other things, the defendant hung posters that encouraged incitement in the Israeli public space and helped to promote a Telegram group dedicated to recruiting additional agents. The severity of the defendant’s actions is intensified by the fact that they were carried out in a war, with all that implies.”

The agent asked the defendant to perform various tasks for him for a high fee, some of which the defendant carried out despite knowing that the agent was acting on behalf of an enemy country.

The defendant received a total of $12,000 in cryptocurrency payment, the indictment said.

Among other things, the defendant, at the agent's request, printed and hung posters throughout the country encouraging a military coup and also helped to promote a Telegram group called "The People's Army," whose purpose is to establish contact with additional residents of Israel to recruit them, ask them to take pictures, send parcels, and engage in other activities.

Documentation of actions

In some cases, the defendant documented the actions as proof of having done them so that he could receive the payment. The agent also ordered the defendant to purchase a business phone and a dedicated SIM card, a wig, gloves, and a hat and to delete all correspondence between them at a certain point.

The defendant maintained a long-term relationship with the agent. He responded to direct requests from the agent and also offered to perform activities on his own initiative.

The indictment included an additional charge for possession of various types of drugs, including MDMA and cocaine.