Iosi, the Remorseful Spy

by Miriam Lewin and Horacio Lutzky, translated by Frances Riddle

A gripping true crime tale of espionage, Jewish history, and antisemitic mass terrorism in 1990s Buenos Aires.

An unresolved true story that echoes today, this book shows that even after the military regime ended in Argentina and there was a civilian government, military and national police remained racist and antisemitic.

José Pérez, a young intelligence agent of the Federal Police, receives orders from his bosses to infiltrate the Argentine Jewish community by posing as a Jew. The goal is to monitor the development of an alleged Jewish plan to take over Patagonia to create a second state of Israel, known as the “Andinia Plan.”

Iosi, the Hebrew name he chooses, blends in by learning the language, culture, history, religion, and politics of the Jewish people: he becomes a well-respected community leader and obtains valuable information that he passes on to his handler, the enigmatic and seductive Laura, or Red as she is called. Iosi soon understands that there is nothing suspicious going on within the Argentine Jewish community. Prone to amorous adventures, he lets himself go and falls madly in love with a young Hebrew teacher, marries her in secret and plans to convert and emigrate with her to Israel.

When the two most catastrophic terrorist attacks in Argentinian history take place, one against the Israeli embassy in 1992 and the other against Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), a Jewish Community Centre in 1994, causing hundreds of deaths, Iosi grows fearful that the information he provided was used by his bosses to help organize the attacks. His bosses order him to abandon his mission and move away from Buenos Aires. But Iosi feels driven to get to the bottom of the story and he seeks out two Jewish journalists, Horacio and Miriam. Together, they strive for years to get Iosi’s story told. But after initial interest, every contact they make, from supposedly honest politicians to national and international Jewish organizations, ultimately turn their backs on them. Some people are killed, others lose their jobs or are removed from the case. There is no end. This is a true story and it continues unresolved to this day.

Buying options

Available for pre-order. This item will be available on July 22, 2025.

Paperback

$21.56

$23.95

Publish Date: 2025-07-22

ISBN: 9781644214572

Pages: 384

Forthcoming

Ebook

Publish Date: 2025-07-22

ISBN: 9781644214589

Pages: 384

“Astonishing, unbelievable, and nevertheless, true. That was and is the life of Iosi, the remorseful spy. The authors of this chronicle, Miriam Lewin and Horacio Lutzky, are well-reputed journalists. Not only did they investigate for years to corroborate all the facts of this seemingly fantastic tale, but they interviewed Iosi, whose real identity remains secret. The result is this extraordinary book you are about to read.”

– Ana María Shua, author of The Book of Memories and Guggenheim Fellowship recipient

“Iosi, the Remorseful Spy is a fascinating noir of corruption, secrecy, and redemption. Embodying an outsider’s unique story with captivating prose, Lewin and Lutzky bring international intrigue and Jewish-Argentine history to life.”

– Julia Kornberg, author of Berlin Atomized

“Journalists Lewin and Lutzky deliver a riveting narrative of espionage, terrorism, and Jewish history in this eye-opening account. Toggling between the perspectives of Lewin, Lutzky, and undercover Argentine Federal Police agent José Pérez—whom the journalists interviewed extensively—the narrative hinges on the bombings of the Israeli embassy in Argentina in 1992 and the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association in 1994. In the years before the attacks, Pérez infiltrated the Jewish community in Buenos Aires, where he took on the Hebrew name Iosi, and filed reports about an alleged plot to establish a new Jewish state in Argentina. During his mission, Pérez married a Jewish woman, converted to Judaism, and concluded that there was no threat from the community. After the bombings, he was ordered to leave Buenos Aires, and he feared that the government used his intelligence to help organize the antisemitic attacks, though they officially blamed Iran. Over the years, his remorse grew, and with the aid of Lewin and Lutzky, he attempted to inform government officials and Jewish organizations of his doubts, but received little interest. Lewin and Lutzky don’t provide any concrete answers to the core mystery, but they pace the action like a thriller and offer fascinating windows into tradecraft and Argentina’s Jewish diaspora. It’s a crackling real-life page-turner.”

– Publishers Weekly

HORACIO LUTZKY is a lawyer and journalist and was co-director of news for the cable TV channel Alef Network (1995) and a professor at the University of Palermo in the courses of Advertising (Law and Professional Practice) and Journalism. He was editor in chief for the newspaper Nueva Sion (1991-1995 and 1999-2000) where Iosi’s ex-wife worked as his secretary for a time. He worked as a congressional consultant in the trial against the Supreme Court’s failure to investigate the attack on the Israeli Embassy during Carlos Menem’s presidency. He is a regular contributor to several media outlets in Argentina.