An international scandal has erupted after an Israeli government official, arrested in a Las Vegas child sex sting, was allowed to return home before facing trial.
The decision has drawn fierce criticism from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who accused the U.S. of bowing to Israel and demanded the man be brought back to face justice.
Greene Slams State Department Over Release
The outspoken Georgia congresswoman blasted the State Department after news broke that Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a senior department head in Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, had been released following his arrest.
“When did America become so subservient to Israel that we immediately release a child sex predator after arrest—one with a locked-up case and evidence—and let him fly back home?” Greene posted on X.
She also tied the case to U.S. foreign policy, questioning why America would protect a foreign official accused of preying on minors while refusing to prioritize humanitarian medical aid for children in Gaza.
Details of the Sting Operation
According to Las Vegas police, Alexandrovich was caught in an undercover operation that targeted online predators.
Investigators say he used the hookup app Pure to chat with what he believed was a 15-year-old girl.
He allegedly invited the decoy to a Cirque du Soleil show and mentioned bringing a condom.
Police charged him with felony luring or attempting to lure a child or mentally ill person for sex using computer technology.
The multi-agency operation involved the FBI, Homeland Security, and several Nevada police departments.
How Alexandrovich Was Able to Leave
Despite the serious charges, Alexandrovich was released after posting a $10,000 bond at the Henderson Detention Center on August 7.
Court records show he is expected back in court on August 27.
The State Department insisted it had no role in his release, saying Alexandrovich did not claim diplomatic immunity and that a state judge allowed him to leave.
But Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson clarified that no judge was involved—Alexandrovich simply posted bail and waived a hearing, which he said is standard practice under Nevada law.
Conflicting Statements From Israel
While U.S. law enforcement confirmed the arrest, Israeli officials initially downplayed the situation.
Local media quoted the Prime Minister’s Office saying only that a “state employee” had been questioned in the U.S. and then “returned to Israel as scheduled.”
The Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Greene Calls Out Double Standards
In her fiery online statement, Greene contrasted Alexandrovich’s release with the plight of children in Gaza.
“We need to be the America that allows war-torn children to come here for life-saving surgeries, not the America that lets a foreign child sex predator go free,” she wrote.
“God does not discriminate in his love for children. Why would we?”
Federal Frustration With Local Handling
The case has even sparked tension between local prosecutors and federal officials.
Interim U.S. Attorney for Nevada Sigal Chattah criticized Clark County for not seizing Alexandrovich’s passport.
“He should have had his passport taken. He must be returned immediately to face justice,” Chattah told 8NewsNow.
Wolfson, however, defended the handling of the case, saying it followed the normal procedures for such charges in Nevada.
What Comes Next
For now, Alexandrovich is back in Israel, while prosecutors in Nevada say they will continue pursuing the case at the county level.
Whether he will return for his August 27 court date—or whether U.S. officials will attempt to force the issue—remains to be seen.
The situation has left many asking whether international ties influenced the case, or if this was simply the result of legal technicalities.
Either way, Greene and others say the U.S. owes answers—not just to Congress, but to the victims such operations are meant to protect.
