The arrest of Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a high-ranking Israeli cybersecurity official, in Las Vegas has sent shockwaves through international law enforcement and cybersecurity circles, while igniting a diplomatic back-and-forth between U.S. and Israeli authorities. Alexandrovich, 38, who served as the executive director of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, was among eight men apprehended in a sweeping two-week undercover sting operation targeting online child predators, according to a press release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and multiple corroborating reports from Israeli and international media.
The operation, orchestrated by the Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, included the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, Henderson Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. Their objective: to identify and apprehend individuals attempting to exploit children online. Alexandrovich’s arrest took place while he was in town for the Black Hat Briefings, a major cybersecurity conference held at Mandalay Bay from August 2 to 7, 2025, a detail confirmed by screenshots of his since-deleted LinkedIn profile and multiple news outlets including The Guardian and Ynet.
Alongside Alexandrovich, seven other men were arrested and charged with felony counts of luring a child with a computer for a sex act. The list of suspects includes David Wonnacott-Yahnke, 40; Jose Alberto Perez-Torres, 35; Aniket Brajeshkumar Sadani, 23; James Ramon Reddick, 23; Ramon Manuel Parra Valenzuela, 29; Neal Harrison Creecy, 46; and John Charles Duncan, 49. Police records reviewed by Ynet and Las Vegas Review-Journal indicate that Alexandrovich was suspected of attempting to lure a child with mental disabilities for sexual purposes. All eight suspects were booked into the Henderson Detention Center, and Alexandrovich posted a $10,000 bail on August 7, just one day after the alleged offense, according to court records.
The legal consequences for the charge are severe: under Nevada law, luring a child with a computer for a sex act carries a potential prison sentence of one to ten years. However, the aftermath of Alexandrovich’s arrest has been anything but straightforward. According to The Guardian and Casino.org, Alexandrovich was released after questioning and returned to Israel before any indictments were formally filed. As of mid-August, no extradition request had been made public, leaving many questions about the case’s trajectory and the possibility of further legal proceedings.
Confusion and controversy quickly erupted over the details of Alexandrovich’s detention. While the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and court documents confirm his arrest, booking, and release on bail, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement insisting otherwise: “A state employee who travelled to the U.S. for professional matters was questioned by American authorities during his stay. The employee, who does not hold a diplomatic visa, was not arrested and returned to Israel as scheduled.” This narrative was echoed by the Israel National Cyber Directorate, which stated, “The employee updated the directorate that during his trip to the United States, he was questioned by the U.S. authorities on matters unrelated to his work, and he returned to Israel at the planned time of return.”
Yet, police and court records reviewed by Ynet and Las Vegas Review-Journal directly contradict these denials, showing that Alexandrovich was indeed arrested, charged, and released on bail. The Cyber Directorate later clarified its earlier statement, explaining that it was “accurate based on the information provided to us” and emphasized that it had “no involvement in any matter relating to bail.” The directorate confirmed that Alexandrovich has been placed on leave “by mutual decision” pending clarification of the facts.
Alexandrovich’s background only adds to the intrigue. A veteran of Israel’s cybersecurity establishment, he worked in cyber-threat intelligence and active defense, shaped national cyber policy, and advised various government bodies. He played a key role in the creation of the “Cyber Dome” program, aimed at protecting Israel’s civilian sector from cyberattacks, and managed significant budgets and projects, including those safeguarding vital infrastructure and election systems. According to Ynet, he was previously among the recipients of the Israel Defense Prize for achievements in cyber defense.
In the aftermath of the arrests, Las Vegas police issued a public warning about the dangers children face online and urged parents to “discuss with their children the dangers of engaging with strangers online. Parents are encouraged to routinely monitor their children’s activity on social media and other online applications to prevent them from becoming victims of a child sex predator.” The department called for anyone with additional information or anyone harmed by any of the suspects to contact the U.S. Internet Crimes Against Children unit or report anonymously to the sexual assault victim hotline.
The other suspects arrested alongside Alexandrovich represent a cross-section of the community, according to Ynet and The Guardian: a 46-year-old pastor at a Las Vegas church, who resigned after release on bail and reportedly admitted wrongdoing; a former Las Vegas police officer previously dismissed for misconduct; and an Indian engineering student. Police said all eight believed they were meeting minors, but were instead confronted by undercover officers as part of the sting. The first court hearing for the pastor is scheduled for September 2 in Henderson, Nevada. A status hearing for Alexandrovich’s case was set for August 27, 2025, to check on the filing of charges, though the court docket did not list a defense attorney for him at the time of reporting.
Despite the high-profile nature of the case and the international attention it has attracted, Israeli officials have stressed that the incident carries “no diplomatic implications.” Still, the conflicting accounts and the quick return of Alexandrovich to Israel have raised eyebrows among legal experts and the public alike. The lack of clarity regarding who posted Alexandrovich’s bail and how he was permitted to leave the United States further fuels speculation about behind-the-scenes negotiations and the delicate balance between legal cooperation and diplomatic interests.
As the investigation continues and authorities on both sides of the Atlantic await further developments, the case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of online child exploitation and the necessity for vigilant international cooperation to protect vulnerable populations. For now, Alexandrovich remains on leave from his government post, his future uncertain as the legal process unfolds both in Nevada and, potentially, in Israel.
