Las Vegas police said Saturday that Tom Alexandrovich, head of a division in Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, was the senior official detained this week during a professional conference he attended on behalf of the Israeli government. He was questioned on suspicion of online pedophilia.
Alexandrovich was among eight people arrested in a large-scale operation targeting online child predators, led by Las Vegas police, who also issued a public statement about the arrests.
The operation, part of the Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, included agents from the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, Henderson and North Las Vegas police, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nevada Attorney General’s office. All eight face felony charges of luring a child via computer for sexual acts. They were booked into the Henderson Detention Center, except one suspect who was booked into Clark County Detention Center.
Alexandrovich attended the U.S. conference in an official capacity. Authorities said he was released following questioning on Wednesday, returned to his hotel and flew back to Israel within two days.
Israeli officials emphasized that the incident "has no political implications." The Prime Minister’s Office, which oversees the cyber unit, said Alexandrovich was not arrested and returned on schedule:
"The employee informed the unit that during his trip to the U.S., he was questioned by local authorities on matters unrelated to work and returned to Israel as planned. The unit has not yet received further details through official channels. Should additional information arrive, the unit will act accordingly. At this stage, by joint decision, the employee has taken leave to address the matter until it is clarified."
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Those details appear to contradict statements by the National Cyber Directorate and the Prime Minister’s Office, which initially said, "The employee, who does not hold a diplomatic visa, was not arrested and returned to Israel as scheduled." Alexandrovich had been in the U.S. attending a professional conference on behalf of the Israeli government.
It remains unclear who posted his bail or how he was permitted to leave the United States and return to Israel. The case has drawn international attention, with foreign media describing Alexandrovich as a bigwig in the Prime Minister’s Office, though Israeli officials stressed the incident carried "no diplomatic implications.
In response to the documents, the Cyber Directorate, which falls under the Prime Minister’s Office, said its earlier statement "was accurate based on the information provided to us," adding it had "no involvement in any matter relating to bail." The agency said Alexandrovich is currently on leave "by mutual decision."
Among the seven others arrested in the sting was a 46-year-old pastor at a Las Vegas church, who resigned immediately after his release on bail and reportedly admitted wrongdoing. His first court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2 in Henderson, Nevada.
Another suspect, a former Las Vegas police officer, was fired last year for allegedly misusing a police phone for dating apps. An Indian engineering student was also arrested. Police said all of the suspects believed they were meeting minors, but were instead confronted by undercover officers.