Second Iranian-linked spy caught surveilling former Israeli PM’s house

Israeli man indicted on espionage charges after he spied on the home of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on behalf of Iran.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli citizen was indicted Monday morning on espionage charges, after he allegedly worked as an agent of Iran, filming the residence of a former Israeli prime minister.

The State Attorney’s Office filed charges with the Central District Court in Lod against Lakachao Demsash, 31, of Rishon LeZion, accusing Demsash of contact with a foreign agent.

According to a statement by the Justice Ministry, Demsash was recruited by Iranian intelligence via the internet at the end of October 2025.

After he was recruited by a foreign agent, Demsash was given various assignments by his handler.

The missions were carried out in exchange for various sums of money transferred via digital wallets on the Binance cryptocurrency trading platform.

At the handler’s instruction, Demsash installed a dash camera with a SIM card in his vehicle, enabling remote connection via a username and password and live real-time video transmission.

On December 3, 2025, in the early morning hours, Demsash drove, under his handler’s direction, to the street where former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett lives, with the dash camera operating and under the handler’s control.

Shortly after parking his vehicle near the former prime minister’s home, security guards approached Demsash, prompting him to flee the area.

Police apprehended Demsash a week later, placing him under arrest.

Prosecutors also wrote in the indictment that during another mission, Demsash filmed a street in the coastal city of Herzliya for several hours.

Following instructions from his handler, Demsash parked his car, returned home by taxi, and later went back to the vehicle and turned off the camera.

On other occasions, Demsash photographed various locations in the cities of Yavne and Petah Tikva.

Among other things, Demsash traveled to the Kenyon HaZahav mall in Rishon LeZion and to Ashdod, where he filmed videos documenting his travel, and sent the videos to the handler.

On other occasions, the handler instructed Demsash to go to kiosks in various cities across the country, buy cigarettes and drinks for himself, and send the receipts to the agent.

According to the indictment, the defendant continued working with the handler, even after he suspected his contact was a foreign agent.

After his arrest in December, Demsash was interrogated by the Shin Bet security agency.

On Monday, prosecutors filed a request with the Central District Court in Lod that Demsash be held in custody until the end of his trial.

This is the second time an Israeli citizen has been arrested for spying on Bennett’s house on behalf of Iran.

On December 25th, authorities announced that another Rishon LeZion resident, 40-year-old Vadim Kupriyanov, was arrested after he photographed areas around the former premier’s house, and set up a camera to film the street.

EspionageIranIranian spyNaftali Bennett