In 1987, he was charged in absentia on three counts of espionage for recruiting Jonathan Pollard, who served a 30-year sentence for spying on the United States for Israel.
[3] After serving in the 1982 Lebanon War, Sella took a sabbatical to the United States to study, and earned an MA in computer science at New York University.
In March 1987 a Federal grand jury indicted Sella on three counts of espionage which carried a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a $500,000 fine.
[6] On March 3, 1987,[7] when Sella was given command of Tel Nof Airbase, the U.S. Congress reacted by threatening to cut aid to Israel.
Sella then resigned on March 30, to defuse US-Israel tensions,[9] and was subsequently appointed an instructor at Israel's National Security College.
[1] In September 2021, Sella was promoted to brigadier general, at the request of Amikam Norkin, commander of the IAF, with the approval from IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, and Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz.
He was originally promoted to brigadier general in March 1987, but left the IAF before actually receiving the rank.
He also became a business partner of Alexander Beer, a brewery based in the Emek Hefer Industrial Park.