FBI Offering New Reward for Former Counterintelligence Specialist Charged With Espionage for Iran – RedState

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has pushed the manhunt for a former U.S. service member allegedly involved in espionage for the Iranian regime into third gear with this week’s latest development. The former Air Force counterintelligence specialist defected to Iran in 2013, then was indicted in 2019.

Hoping to capture Monica Witt, the FBI sweetened the deal with a hefty $200,000 reward:

The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Monica Elfriede Witt, a former US Air Force counterintelligence specialist who defected to Iran in 2013. https://t.co/zM7biHHRuG

– KFOX14 News (@KFOX14) May 15, 2026

The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the capture and prosecution of former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence specialist Monica Elfriede Witt, who defected to Iran in 2013 and is accused of providing national defense information to the Iranian government.

Monica Elfriede Witt, 47, was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2019 on espionage-related charges and remains at large.

My colleague Streiff wrote about this curious case at the time, as a follow-up to RedState’s initial article on Witt’s indictment. His expertise is worth reading at length here:

Witt was not a super spy. His intelligence experience consisted of operating on an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft. She held an undefined position while serving in counterintelligence. After leaving the Air Force, she worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, Edward Snowden’s former employer, on Army counterintelligence projects and for Chenega Federal Systems on Middle East issues. During this time, she “kept reading” about a Special Access Program (SAP) targeting Iran. His main offense appears to be attempting to betray former colleagues by identifying them to Iranian intelligence, although I am not downplaying the disclosure of the SAP’s existence.

And as Streiff also wrote, the timing of the indictment – five years later – was rather mysterious:

She disappeared in 2014 and until this week, no one seemed to care about her.

The question is why was she charged now. The FBI says this is the culmination of “years of investigative work” and implies that the FBI has known about his activities since the Obama administration… or even since the time of his disappearance.

READ MORE: Espionage Indictment Against Monica Witt Asks More Questions Than It Answers

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It’s also unclear why the FBI announced the reward now. It is possible to hope to get someone in Iran to denounce her as the U.S. military mission against Iran ensues, as the National News Desk article linked above implies.

Part of the FBI release was the Most Wanted poster with several images of Witt, including his official Air Force photo. It also included what may be Witt’s most recent image from 2013:

Hopefully she can be brought to justice with this new incentive for US dollars. You can view all the most searched information for Witt. on the FBI homepage.