By Umar Farooq
WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. on Wednesday charged a former member of the Air Force with conducting espionage operations that targeted American intelligence personnel on behalf of Iran.
The Justice Department unsealed the indictment against Monica Witt as the U.S. also announced sanctions on two Iranian firms -- New Horizon Organization (NHO) and Net Peygard Samavat Company -- that are accused of conducting a malicious cyber campaign that aimed to attack and harm U.S. personnel.
"The charges unsealed today are the result of years of investigative work by the FBI to uncover Monica Witt’s betrayal of the oath she swore to safeguard America’s intelligence and defense secrets," said Jay Tabb, assistant director of national security at the FBI.
Witt served in the Air Force as an intelligence specialist for a little more than 10 years and left to become a contractor for the Defense Department, according to the Justice Department.
Officials say in 2012, Witt visited Iran for a conference organized by the newly sanctioned NHO, and later handed U.S. intelligence to an Iranian government official.
In 2014, Iranian actors engaged in a cyber campaign that targeted Witt's former colleagues and associates.
The former U.S. officer remains at large, however, an arrest warrant for her has been issued.
The Justice Department also charged four Iranian individuals on similar charges, three of whom conducted espionage operations for Iran in association with the other newly sanctioned firm Net Peygard Samavat.