A document compiled on Vladimir Varkhovsky, who was charged with a series of security offenses on behalf of Iranian intelligence and agreed to assassinate an Israeli scientist for $100,000, had previously sought "quick and easy financial solutions without exercising judgment,” Ynet learned on Wednesday. The document came following his involvement in a credit card fraud case.
Varkhovsky made aliyah to Israel from Ukraine eight years ago and worked as a security guard in a building and was unarmed. "At the time of the offense, he was focused on his personal and immediate needs, exercising short-term judgment," the document from 2017 read detailing the man’s entanglement following financial difficulties shortly after his arrival in Israel. "His behavior indicates problematic patterns of conduct and coping." He was ultimately convicted in the case and served community service.
"They [Iranians] usually tend to recruit people with limited means. Not necessarily of foreign origin, but those born and raised here have more nationalism, making it harder to recruit them to act against their own country. People who recently moved here — have less national affiliation on the face of it, making them targets or at least a starting point," said M., who previously worked at the Defense Ministry.
However, he also pointed to "vulnerabilities" among native Israelis: "Lower socio-economic status, urgency to pay a criminal body or a criminal record — because they've already broken the law before.”
“For young people, like the couple from Ramat Gan who don't have children, there's less to lose,” he added. “Their families aren't in the country, and it's harder to reach them. Unfortunately, many young people spend a lot of time on social media without realizing what they're getting into.”
“You can't easily send them to buy weapons, but rather to film locations and spread malice — it's important for parents to monitor what their kids are doing online,” he explained.
Dvir Kariv, who served in the Shin Bet for 22 years, said, "The idea is to harm Israel from afar —using innocent people in exchange for money. They (the Iranians) will approach people with a criminal past, those who have already broken the law, or innocent, desperate individuals. The guy from Petah Tikva agreed to kill a scientist after a series of bad turns.”
“There are people who wanted to be like James Bond and join intelligence agencies but ended up as security guards. They get drawn into becoming enticing agents from abroad, which gives them a taste for life. You get money, dabble in intelligence and life seems like a Hollywood movie — until you find yourself in an abyss at some point,” he added.
Iranian recruitment efforts are conducted via through various ads — some on Facebook — or offers for translation services in different languages, with payments of thousands of shekels per page. This is how the Iranians try to lure numerous residents.
"The Iranians want to retaliate quickly for what we've done to them. Many of us 'live' on social media since the COVID-19 pandemic and technological development. Iranian agents operate on two levels — either personal or broad approaches. If it seems too good to be true, it isn't," Kariv said. "They filter out unsuspecting people who think they can make easy money from home. These innocent people enter their details and that’s where the fall begins."
Varkhovsky’s espionage case wasn’t the only one uncovered this week. Vladislav Victorsson, 30 and Anna Bernstein, 18 who were recruited by an Iranian intelligence operative on Telegram, were initially asked to spray graffiti, then to distribute flyers and later set cars on fire — with the ultimate goal being to assassinate a high-ranking Israeli official.
Varkhovsky was similarly asked to spray graffiti, plant tracking devices and finally, collect a gun. "It escalates and deteriorates," Kariv said. "At some point, they ask for a picture while carrying out the mission and only pay after they receive it. This serves as leverage."
Adi Carmi, who served in the Shin Bet for 28 years, explained, "Moti Maman — an Ashdod businessman — who was caught after being in Iran, has a completely different profile from those caught this week, who supposedly had no ties to the state.”
“He was recruited because businessmen operating outside the country's borders have more face-to-face access and the ability to exploit them is more present. When you post a random, intriguing ad on Facebook, thousands respond and a few remain who don't realize what they're getting into. It's like a honey trap — they start getting entangled and then they begin to fear being blackmailed,” he added.
Adi Carmi
Dvir KarivPhoto: Chaya GoldIn a typical year, the Shin Bet foils around 500 attempts of severe attacks within Israel's borders. Since the war in Gaza began, 1,200 attacks have been thwarted according to the intelligence agency. Most civilians targeted were identified by agencies before the attacks, but concerns still exist that not all can be stopped in time.
"The working assumption is that you don't expose them all — because the more complex recruitments worry the Shin Bet as they're conducted more slowly and cleverly. The technological foundation is much deeper and more intricate," Kariv explained.
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