Man in US poses as flight attendant & scams airlines for over 120 free flights
In a jaw-dropping case out of the United States, a man has been convicted of masquerading as a flight attendant to score more than 120 free flights over several years.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, 35-year-old Tiron Alexander was found guilty on 5 June of wire fraud and unlawfully entering secure areas of airports under false pretences.
Claimed to work for 7 airlines with 30 fake ID numbers
During his trial, prosecutors revealed that Alexander fraudulently booked 34 flights through an airline’s internal crew-only website, a system reserved strictly for pilots and flight attendants.
To pull off the elaborate scheme, Alexander submitted false information claiming to be employed by seven different airlines. He also used around 30 fake badge numbers and various hire dates to appear legitimate.
But the deception didn’t end there. Investigations uncovered that he had pulled similar stunts with three other airline carriers, bringing the total number of free flights booked to over 120.
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Despite listing employment at a Dallas-based airline since November 2015, officials confirmed Alexander was neither a pilot nor a flight attendant at any point in time.
Faces decades behind bars
On 5 June, a jury found Mr Alexander guilty. According to NBC News, Alexander faces 20 years in prison for wire fraud and 10 years for entering secure airport areas under false pretences. Additionally, both charges also include three years of supervised release and a US$250,000 (S$320,000) fine.
His sentencing is scheduled for 25 August.
Also read: Indonesian man allegedly steals 250K KrisFlyer miles & buys over S$1.6K worth of goods in S’pore
Indonesian man allegedly steals 250K KrisFlyer miles & buys over S$1.6K worth of goods in S’pore
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