Security forces announced Thursday they had detained an Israeli citizen on suspicion of espionage on behalf of Iran, including photographing “areas near” the residence of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Vadim Kupriyanov, an Israeli in his 40s from the Tel Aviv suburb of Rishon Letzion, was arrested earlier this month after he carried out “photography missions” near Bennett’s home, the Israel Police and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced in a joint statement.
An investigation by the International Crime Investigations division of the Israel Police’s National Major Crime Unit (Lahav 433) and the Shin Bet revealed Tehran had ordered Kupriyanov to carry out “a variety of security-related tasks” over the course of approximately two months.
“Among other things, at the request of his handlers, he transferred various photographs he took in his city of residence and in other cities, in exchange for varying sums of money,” according to the statement.
Prosecutors were expected to file an indictment against Kupriyanov on Thursday in the Central District Court in Lod, the statement added, stressing past warnings against contacts with hostile foreign intelligence services.
“The security agencies will continue to act to locate and thwart terrorist and espionage activity in Israel and will act to bring to justice, with severity, all those involved in such activity,” it concluded.
Bennett, who served a one-year term as prime minister from June 2021 to June 2022 and is seeking to run in next year’s election with his “Bennett 2026" party, stated in response, “Iran’s efforts to harm me will not stop me in my life’s mission. Am Yisrael Chai [‘The people of Israel lives.’]”
Bennett on Dec. 17 confirmed that his official account on the Telegram messaging app was hacked, along with his contacts, photos and chats.
“The contents of my contact list, as well as many photos and chats—both real and fabricated (including a photo of me alongside [the late Prime Minister David] Ben-Gurion)—were distributed. This material was obtained illegally, and its distribution constitutes a criminal offense,” the statement from the former premier’s office read.
Iranian hacker group Handala wrote to Bennett, who was the CEO of Cyota, an anti-fraud software company, before stepping into politics some 20 years ago, “You once prided yourself on being a beacon of cybersecurity, showcasing your expertise to the world.
“Yet how ironic that your iPhone 13 fell so easily into Handala’s hands. Despite all your boasting and pride, your digital fortress was nothing more than a paper wall waiting to be breached,” the group stated.
Since the outbreak of the war triggered by the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli security forces have uncovered at least three dozen cases in which Tehran allegedly attempted to recruit Israelis.
