Published by TrenBuzz.com | May 15, 2026 | BREAKING
Key Points at a Glance – $200000 Reward Offered for Former Air Force Spy Monica Witt
- The FBI Washington Field Office announced a $200,000 reward on May 14, 2026 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Monica Elfriede Witt, 47.
- Witt is a former US Air Force counterintelligence specialist who defected to Iran in August 2013 — 13 years ago.
- She was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2019 on charges of espionage — transmitting national defense information to the Iranian government.
- Her defection has directly benefited Iran’s IRGC — including its intelligence and unconventional warfare units.
- Witt revealed classified names of undercover US Intelligence Community personnel — endangering agents and their families stationed abroad.
- She also conducted research targeting her former colleagues at the Air Force Office of Special Investigations on Iran’s behalf.
- Witt served from 1997 to 2008 — reaching the rank of Technical Sergeant — before working as a government contractor until 2010.
- She converted to Islam in 2012 during a trip to an IRGC-linked conference — and defected to Iran the following year.
- The timing of the FBI announcement is significant: it comes during the active US-Iran war and just days before Trump’s China summit, where Iran is a key agenda item.
- Witt remains at large and is believed to be somewhere in Iran.
She held some of America’s most sensitive secrets. She had access to the names of undercover intelligence officers and top-secret programs across the Middle East. And 13 years after walking away from everything she had sworn to protect, Monica Elfriede Witt is still free — and the FBI just raised the price on finding her.
The FBI Washington Field Office announced it is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension and prosecution of Monica Witt, a former US service member and counterintelligence agent who was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia in February 2019 on charges of espionage, including transmitting national defense information to the government of Iran.
Who Is Monica Witt — A Counterintelligence Expert Who Became the Threat
Witt, a former active-duty US Air Force intelligence specialist and special agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, served in the military between 1997 and 2008 before working as a US government contractor until 2010. Her military service and contracting employment provided her access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information relating to foreign intelligence and counterintelligence, including the true names of US Intelligence Community undercover personnel.
The Defection — How It Happened
Witt converted to Islam in 2012 during a trip to an IRGC-linked conference in Iran. She defected to Iran in August 2013, where she reportedly provided classified intelligence to Iranian authorities. She had access to sensitive Special Access Programs (SAPs) and Middle East operations from her time in Air Force intelligence and as a contractor.
Witt allegedly provided the Iranian regime National Defense Information and likely continues to support their nefarious activities. Officials allege she intentionally provided information endangering US personnel and their families stationed abroad, and conducted research on behalf of the Iranian regime to allow them to target her former colleagues.
The IRGC Benefit — The Damage Still Being Done
Witt’s defection to Iran has benefited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has elements responsible for intelligence collection, unconventional warfare, and providing direct support to multiple terrorist organizations targeting US citizens and interests. While Witt has been indicted for her alleged crimes, she remains at large.
Why Now? The Iran War Context
“Monica Witt allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution more than a decade ago by defecting to Iran and providing the Iranian regime National Defense Information and likely continues to support their nefarious activities,” said Daniel Wierzbicki, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “The FBI has not forgotten and believes that during this critical moment in Iran’s history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts.”
The phrase “critical moment in Iran’s history” is no accident. With the US engaged in an active war with Iran since February 28, and with Iran’s internal stability under question following Supreme Leader Khamenei’s assassination and the rise of new leadership, the FBI may believe Witt’s circumstances inside Iran have fundamentally changed.
Someone who was once a protected asset of a stable regime may now find themselves in a far less secure position — and the FBI is betting $200,000 that someone close to her knows it.
How to Claim the Reward — Tips to the FBI
The FBI is actively soliciting tips and has set up a dedicated line for information about Monica Witt’s current whereabouts. Tips can also be submitted online through the FBI’s official tips portal — tipsubmit.fbi.gov. All submissions are handled confidentially.
Witt remains at large. The FBI continues to actively work to locate Witt and bring her to justice.
Monica Witt left America in 2013 carrying some of the country’s most valuable secrets. In 2026, with the country she betrayed at war with the country she defected to, the FBI is counting on history to finally catch up with her.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All facts, charges, and biographical details are sourced from the official FBI Washington Field Office press release, AP, NBC Washington, The Columbian, The Washington Post, CNN, and WLT Report as of May 14–15, 2026. Monica Elfriede Witt is charged with espionage — she has not been convicted in a court of law and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. TrenBuzz.com does not represent the FBI or any law enforcement body. If you have information about Monica Witt’s whereabouts, contact the FBI at tipsubmit.fbi.gov or your nearest FBI field office.