A 35-year-old man from Florida is in serious trouble after pulling off a daring scheme that spanned years. Federal prosecutors allege that the man pretended to be a flight attendant and flew for free on more than 120 occasions. Now, he’s facing up to 30 years in federal prison.
According to investigators, the man gained access to an internal booking system meant only for real airline employees. He used fake flight attendant badge numbers to reserve flights without paying a dime. This scam is believed to have gone on from 2018 all the way through early 2024.
On June 5, the TSA’s Atlanta Field Office wrapped up an investigation into the case. The man was found guilty of wire fraud and entering secure airport areas under false pretenses.
Even though he passed through all standard airport security checks without raising alarms, the TSA confirmed that he never posed a physical threat to passengers or staff. Still, this doesn’t lessen the seriousness of his crimes.