An Ashkelon man and woman have been indicted on allegations that they carried out intelligence-gathering missions on behalf of an Iranian operative, photographing sensitive sites and individuals across Israel in return for cryptocurrency payments.

The indictment, filed in the Tel Aviv District Court, charges Tamirlan Amshukov and Elina Kushnirenko with maintaining contact with a foreign agent and supplying information to the enemy.

According to prosecutors, the case began in December 2025, when Amshukov was approached via Telegram by someone who offered to pay him to photograph a restaurant in Ashdod. At the time, Kushnirenko reportedly urged him not to go through with it, warning, “What’s wrong with you? What if they’re planning something?”

Authorities allege that the communication resumed in April 2026, when a Telegram contact offered Amshukov cryptocurrency in exchange for conducting surveillance and taking photographs. Prosecutors say he accepted the proposal and enlisted Kushnirenko to participate in the assignments.

The indictment states that the pair subsequently traveled to Ashdod, Be’er Sheva, Haifa, and Kadima-Zoran, where they allegedly conducted surveillance operations and photographed various locations. Among the tasks, prosecutors say, were attempts to locate and document the homes of a defense industry employee and a member of Israel’s security forces.

Investigators further allege that in June 2026 the defendants photographed Ramat Aviv Mall in Tel Aviv, identifying a staircase that was outside the coverage of the mall’s security cameras. During a later trip to Eilat, they allegedly documented a “security facility” in Dimona, as well as sections of the coastline and nearby ships. Prosecutors also claim they used money supplied by their handler to purchase a dedicated cellphone for operational purposes.

According to the indictment, Amshukov later photographed Har Herzl in Yerushalayim, including IDF soldiers at the site, just days before a state memorial ceremony attended by senior Israeli officials.

The prosecution says the Iranian handler proposed additional assignments, including renting an apartment, securing a vehicle, and retrieving a package from the sea. Those missions, however, were never carried out.

The alleged espionage operation came to an end later in 2026, when Israeli security forces arrested the pair as they were traveling to Be’er Sheva for another assignment. Prosecutors say the two received a total of $4,451.70 in cryptocurrency for the information and photographs they allegedly provided before their arrest.

{Matzav.com}