Ashkelon Couple Indicted for Alleged Iranian Espionage Operation

Ashkelon couple Tamerlan Amshukov and Alina Kushnirenko have been indicted for allegedly spying for Iran in exchange for cryptocurrency. The Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office charged Amshukov with contact with a foreign agent and 16 counts of providing information that could benefit the enemy, while Kushnirenko was charged with eight counts of providing such information.

Prosecutors claim that Amshukov was first approached via Telegram in late 2025 by a profile calling itself 'Rafael,' which offered to pay him to visit and film a restaurant in Ashdod. However, Kushnirenko allegedly warned him that the approach could be connected to terrorist activity, and the assignment was not carried out.

Over the next few months, Amshukov continued communicating with another Telegram profile, 'Aslan,' who offered him a commission to withdraw money and deliver cash to another person. Eventually, Aslan allegedly asked Amshukov to conduct surveillance and film addresses and individuals for payment in cryptocurrency.

The indictment states that the pair carried out assignments between April and July 2026, knowing or deliberately ignoring the possibility that they were working for an Iranian agent or hostile organization. They filmed residential targets in various cities, including Ashdod, Beersheba, Haifa, and Kadima-Tzoran.

The couple allegedly received approximately $4,450 in cryptocurrency for their services, with a further $2,300 remaining unpaid. Prosecutors have requested that the pair be kept in custody until the conclusion of the proceedings against them.