The FBI’s Washington Field Office announced on May 14, 2026, a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and apprehension of Monica Elfriede Witt. This renewal of the search for the former U.S. counterintelligence agent occurs during a period of heightened regional tension and an ongoing 75-day military conflict between the United States and Iran.
Witt served as an active-duty U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist from 1997 to 2008 and later worked as a defense contractor until 2010. Federal authorities allege she defected to Iran in 2013. Since her defection, investigators say she has provided the Iranian government with highly classified national defense information.
The former counterintelligence agent allegedly disclosed the true identities of undercover U.S. Intelligence Community personnel. These disclosures allowed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to target Witt’s former colleagues and compromise active operations.
Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki stated that the agency is seeking her whereabouts during a critical period in Iran’s history. Witt was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2019 on charges of conspiracy to deliver national defense information to representatives of a foreign government. An arrest warrant was issued at that time, but Witt remains a fugitive.
The new $200,000 reward is intended to incentivize individuals who may have information about her current location or activities. Witt held a Top Secret security clearance for the duration of her military career and had access to sensitive foreign intelligence programs.
Witt is believed to be residing in Iran. The FBI is working with international partners to secure her arrest while U.S. forces remain engaged in the broader geopolitical crisis affecting the Persian Gulf.