Published on: August 16, 2025, 11:40 AM.

Updated on: August 16, 2025, 12:29 PM.

• An official from the Israeli cybersecurity sector was apprehended in Las Vegas for allegedly attempting to engage with a minor online.
• This arrest was part of a sting operation that led to the detention of eight individuals, occurring as Tom Alexandrovich, 38, was participating in the Black Hat USA cybersecurity conference at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
• After his arrest, Alexandrovich managed to return to Israel before any formal indictments were issued.

A high-ranking official from Israel was detained in Las Vegas a fortnight ago under suspicion of attempting to entice minors for illicit meetings. Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, who serves as the Executive Director of the Israel Cyber Directorate, was in Las Vegas for the Black Hat USA cybersecurity conference that took place from August 2-7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

As part of a multi-agency operation aimed at online child predators, Alexandrovich, along with seven other suspects, was instructed to meet at a location in nearby Henderson, Nevada, where they were subsequently arrested, as reported by the Las Vegas police who aided in executing the sting.

The suspects faced “felony charges for luring a child through the internet for a sexual act,” a serious offense under Nevada law, carrying penalties of 1-10 years in prison. After being processed at the Henderson Detention Center, they were released following questioning by authorities.

While the Las Vegas police indicated that formal charges against all suspects would be forthcoming, Alexandrovich returned to Israel after his release. Up to this point, there have been no public announcements regarding extradition requests.

Upon news of his arrest, Alexandrovich’s LinkedIn account was removed, although screenshots had captured images of him attending key presentations at the Black Hat Briefings, which are integral to the Black Hat USA event.

Israeli media reports state that Alexandrovich has been placed on administrative leave by the Israel Cyber Directorate as investigations proceed. This agency operates under the authority of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which released a statement on Friday asserting that Alexandrovich had not been arrested—contradicting police reports.

“A state employee traveled to the US for work-related matters and was questioned by American officials during his time there,” the statement clarified. “The employee, who does not possess a diplomatic visa, was not arrested and returned to Israel as planned.”

The sting operation, lasting two weeks, was coordinated by the Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which encompasses the Las Vegas and Henderson police departments, as well as the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.