‘No reasonable explanation’: Tel Aviv man indicted over spying for Iran

‘No reasonable explanation’: Tel Aviv man indicted over spying for Iran

An illustrative image of an Iranian agent in the backdrop of an Iranian flag. (photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

This whole time, Beilin “was aware that he was carrying out orders from an enemy agent against the State of Israel, all for pay,” reads the indictment.

The prosecution on Thursday indicted Or Beilin, 27, from Tel Aviv, for contact with a foreign agent, in carrying out assignments and acts directed by an Iranian agent.

Beilin, originally from Be’er Yaakov, was arrested on June 22, the same day two other men were apprehended for similar suspicions. Dozens of such cases have been handled by authorities since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023.

The contact Beilin had with an Iranian intelligence agent on the Telegram app spanned from November 2024 until February 2025. This whole time, Beilin “was aware that he was carrying out orders from an enemy agent against the State of Israel, all for pay,” reads the indictment.

The agent originally asked if Beilin was interested in committing such acts in exchange for cryptocurrency. Beilin said yes.

Throughout this time period, Beilin sprayed graffiti messages at different sites in different locations throughout the country. The messages were a mix of sentiments of “the people’s army” and criticisms against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and in favor of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The embroidered flags of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran (illustrative) (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

The embroidered flags of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran (illustrative) (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

In one instance, on November 13, 2024, Beilin graffitied “Bibi [Netanyahu] is the enemy of humanity,” and on November 21, wrote “KHUMENEI BASIJ OF TLV.”

Received funds in cryptocurrency

For each graffiti message, Beilin received between 70 and 100 shekels in cryptocurrency. Beilin would document his acts as proof and send them to the agent.

He also, throughout this time, hid sums of money at various locations throughout the country. For each one, Beilin received between 100 and 200 shekels in cryptocurrency, which he transferred and withdrew as cash. He documented these acts for proof as well.

At two points in time, Beilin, under instruction, purchased two surveillance cameras. He set them up at specific locations, and passed on some of what they captured – to ensure their quality. For each such quality check, Beilin received 150 shekels.

Beilin conducted dozens such checks, but because the agent wasn’t pleased with the results of the footage, the cameras were never hidden in permanent spots.

Between November 25 and 26, Beilin inquired as to the purchase of a drone, in order to hide it in a specific spot. He sent a photo of one such prospective drone, but never carried out the assignment.

On December 15, Beilin got hold of an IDF uniform and filmed himself setting it on fire, while in the background was the message, “These uniforms were once holy; today they are a game to politicians.” For this, he received 1,000 shekels in cryptocurrency.

When Beilin was instructed to do this again, at some point after January 7 of this year, he received the money to get ahold of the uniform, but did not carry out the assignment.

On February 11, Beilin documented himself hiding a SIM card that he had purchased in a specified location.

Instructed to document military bases

Towards the end of the contact period, when Beilin had already stopped carrying out his assignments, the agent had instructed him to light cars and trash cans on fire, document military bases as well as strategic locations, learn how to construct explosives, and set up a surveillance camera in a hidden location.

Overall, Beilin received USD 8,974 in cryptocurrency. In its request to have him remanded until legal proceedings conclude, the prosecution noted that cellphones and hidden cameras were found in Beilin’s home, and that it has the cryptocurrency reports indicating that Beilin received the funds.

The indictment notes that Beilin did not “have a reasonable explanation” for his actions. He denied all the charges at first, attributing them to a “leftist” political setup, but later said he knew what he was doing, even though he “didn’t want to hurt the State.”


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