On Thursday, the FBI announced a reward of $200,000 for information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of a former U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist who has been charged with espionage.
Monica Witt, 47, also known as Fatema Zarah or Narges Witt, was indicted on federal charges back in 2018. After defecting to Iran, she is alleged to have supplied classified information to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Here’s what we know about Witt’s suspected activities as an operative for Iran.
US Military Background
Born in El Paso, Texas, Witt joined the Air Force in 1997, shortly after turning 18. Assigned to an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft crew, she studied Farsi at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, between 1998 and 1999, as detailed in her indictment.
From 1999 until late 2003, Witt worked on classified missions in various overseas locations to gather signals intelligence. She reportedly served in Saudi Arabia in 2002.
As a special agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), she was involved in counterintelligence and criminal investigations, spending time in Iraq in 2005 and Qatar in 2006.
Her rank provided her access to a Special Access Program (SAP), which included sensitive information about counterintelligence operations, U.S. operatives, and covert sources.
Witt’s military service ended in 2008.
Post-Military Life and Education
From 2008 to 2010, she continued her work with AFOSI in a contractor role. According to reports, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland in 2008, coinciding with her departure from the Air Force, and later started a graduate program in Middle Eastern studies at George Washington University.
Described as “reclusive” and somewhat “alienated” by peers, her involvement with controversial topics like drone strikes was noted during her studies. Before her graduation in early 2012, it was revealed that she aimed to flee to Iran.
During the same month, Witt attended an anti-Western conference in Tehran, where she allegedly shared sensitive defense information with the IRGC to validate her status as a reliable source.
Despite not being officially invited, she managed to deliver a speech critical of the U.S. government, which was broadcast by Iranian media.
Her public conversion to Islam was also broadcast on Iranian state television during this time.
Shortly after receiving her graduate degree, the FBI reached out to inform her of the potential for recruitment by Iranian intelligence.
Defection
By then, it seemed that Witt had already fallen into the clutches of a “spotter,” someone who recruits for foreign intelligence, with Iran being the target.
A person referred to as “Individual A” in the indictment is identified as Marziyeh Hashemi, a journalist who became an Iranian citizen and worked for state media. The two reportedly collaborated on an anti-Western propaganda film that circulated in Iran.
Over the following year, Witt traveled between countries alongside Hashemi, aiming to gain permanent residency in Iran, including stays in places like Dubai and Afghanistan.
In 2013, it became public that she was regarded as a potential candidate for recruitment by Iranian officials, with her believed to be teaching English somewhere in Afghanistan or Tajikistan.
Text messages between Witt and Hashemi showed their discussions, which included plans to expose U.S. secrets via WikiLeaks. Witt expressed reluctance to travel to Turkey out of fear regarding extradition to the U.S.
On August 25, 2013, she sent an email titled “My Biography and Work History,” containing her discharge form along with her conversion story. This email ended up forwarded to an Iranian government address.
Just a few days later, Witt flew to Iran, sending a message to Hashemi that she was “going home.”
Life in Iran
After defecting, Witt was accused of sharing sensitive information with the Iranian authorities, including the Pentagon’s SAP codename.
She reportedly contributed to “targeting packages” for the Iranian government—a collection of documents aimed at neutralizing threats—and worked with hackers to create malware directed at U.S. intelligence agencies.
The indictment states that she concocted plans to implant malware into the computers of known U.S. military personnel, alongside four others implicated in the same operation.
Witt now faces multiple charges related to the transmission of national defense information, conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, and aggravated identity theft.
“Monica Witt betrayed her oath to the Constitution by defecting to Iran over a decade ago and allegedly provided defense intelligence to the Iranian regime,” remarked a Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, who highlighted the $200,000 reward for information on her whereabouts.
“The FBI has not forgotten and believes there are individuals who may have insight into her location during this crucial time for Iran.”
