In a case that has ignited accusations of dual loyalty and judicial double standards, Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a senior Israeli cybersecurity official, was arrested in Las Vegas on August 6 for attempting to solicit a 15-year-old girl for sex—only to post bail and promptly return to Israel, avoiding prosecution.

The incident has provoked fierce criticism from Americans, Trump allies, and human rights advocates, who see it as evidence of deeply embedded inequities in how the U.S. justice system applies a double standard when treating Israelis, even if the allegations against them are egregious.
Alexandrovich, 38, heads the Technological Defense Division at the Israel National Cyber Directorate, an agency operating directly under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He was arrested as part of a multi-agency sting operation targeting online child predators, during which he communicated with an undercover officer posing as a minor.
Despite the seriousness of the charges—luring a child using technology, a felony carrying up to 10 years in prison—Alexandrovich was released on a $10,000 bond without mandatory surveillance or passport surrender. He left the U.S. shortly afterward. The handling of the case has drawn sharp rebuke from figures across the political spectrum.
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene contrasted Alexandrovich’s release with the U.S.’s refusal to admit Palestinian children from Gaza seeking medical care, writing: “We need to be the America that allows war-torn children to come here for life-saving surgeries and the America that never releases a foreign child sex predator.”
Similarly, conservative commentator Candace Owens questioned the role of Acting U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah, an Israeli-born official appointed by the Trump administration, asking, “The U.S. attorney general who released him is Israeli-born Sigal Chattah. Makes sense now!”
Chattah, who has previously made vitriolic remarks describing Palestinians as “animals” and advocating to “wipe Gaza off the map,” deflected responsibility, blaming local Clark County prosecutors for failing to secure Alexandrovich’s passport. Yet it was her office that declined federal prosecution, handing the case over to state-level attorneys who, experts say, are far less likely to pursue extradition.
The incident echoes past cases where well-connected Israeli or U.S.-affiliated individuals avoided justice.
Jeffrey Epstein’s initial 2008 prosecution resulted in a controversially lenient plea deal, and he traveled freely to Israel shortly after his release. Similarly, five Israelis filmed celebrating during the 9/11 attacks were detained but later deported without a full investigation, fueling theories about intelligence ties and special protection.
The Israel lobby’s maneuvers in Las Vegas have also come under scrutiny. Miriam Adelson, Israeli-American casino billionaire and top donor to both Netanyahu and Trump, wields significant influence in Nevada through her ownership of the Las Vegas Sands and political contributions. Critics argue that such relationships may discourage aggressive prosecution of Israelis.