Rishon Lezion man accused of spying on apartments, car dealership for Iran

State prosecutors filed an indictment against a Rishon Lezion resident accused of espionage for Iran, charging him with contact with a foreign agent and providing intelligence to the enemy.

Dennis Lyakhov, 30, is thought to have come into contact with an Iranian agent via the Telegram messaging app and carried out various tasks at his behest in exchange for money.

The defendant was in touch with the foreign agent from late February to mid-March, and had been residing in Latvia for part of this period, the indictment charges. The indictment states that he knowingly carried out the tasks for an Iranian agent.

According to prosecutors, while he was in Latvia, the defendant was paid NIS 70 ($20) to write the words “FUCK BIBI” on a piece of paper and film himself setting it on fire.

Upon returning to Israel, Lyakhov was told by the agent to film a street and apartment buildings in Petah Tikva and send the documentation. However, he instead went to a separate location in the city and filmed that instead. The agent paid him NIS 254 ($75) for carrying out the task.

He was later enlisted to go to a car dealership in Netanya and inquire about the prices of seven different vehicles while filming the interaction. He was paid in advance, but did not follow through with the task.

Prosecutors are requesting that the Central District Court in Lod keep the defendant in custody until the end of legal proceedings against him.