Federal agents apprehended a flight attendant at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport while dismantling an international money laundering scheme that purportedly funneled $8 million in drug proceeds out of the U.S. by exploiting flight crews’ airport access.
The operation involved four airline employees, three based in New York and one in New Jersey, who allegedly facilitated the smuggling of cash through special employee lanes at TSA checkpoints onto flights bound for the Dominican Republic.
These individuals possessed TSA Known Crewmember Program (KCM) clearance, affording them expedited security processing with less scrutiny, allowing them to transport large sums of cash without detection.
The suspects are facing federal charges for operating an unlicensed money transmission business and violating airport security regulations.
According to Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ivan Arvelo, the defendants allegedly utilized their roles as flight attendants to knowingly transport illicit money associated with narcotics sales, including fentanyl, exploiting airport security vulnerabilities.
They reportedly used coded language like “lotions” for drug cash and referred to drug clients as “los tigres” (the tigers), discussing smuggling arrangements in advance of flights.
Court documents allege that Hernandez transported at least $2.5 million, Pujols $1.5 million, and Torres and Fabio over $1.5 million each during specified periods.
In exchange for smuggling the cash through TSA checkpoints, they received monetary compensation ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per $60,000 smuggled.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams emphasized that these flight attendants abused their airline employee privileges to smuggle millions in drug money over several years.
Additional charges include conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling, with potential prison sentences of up to 25 years if convicted.
