Housekeeper of Israeli Defense Minister Arrested for Spying for Iran

The housekeeper of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran. According to timesofisrael.com, this was reported by the general security service of the Jewish state.

The man, identified as Omri Goren, was apprehended shortly after connecting with a hacker group linked to Iran, before he could inflict any damage on the country. Subsequently, the central district prosecutor of Israel charged Goren with espionage, which carries a sentence of 10 to 15 years imprisonment.

The source elaborates that earlier this month, Goren established contact with an individual associated with Iran and offered to assist him on various matters, taking advantage of his access to the minister’s home. The individual in the indictment is described as a representative of the Iranian-affiliated Black Shadow hacker group, which conducted a significant cyberattack on Israeli civilian websites last month.

As for the motives, it is mentioned that Goren acted out of financial considerations, allegedly telling the group that he would relay information from the minister's residence in exchange for money.

After establishing contact with the group's representative, Goren discussed the possibility of installing malware on Gantz's home computer, which would grant operational access to the minister's device for individuals connected to Iran.

“To prove his capability and sincerity, Omri photographed several items in different areas of the minister’s home, which he sent to the individual linked to Iran, including images of the minister's computer,” the official statement read. He photographed Gantz's desk, computer, phone, tablet, a locked cabinet, and a shredder, as well as a copy of the minister's local property tax payments.

According to the service's data, due to his swift arrest, Goren was unable to execute his plans that would have jeopardized national security.