Latest news with #CatchMeifYouCan
Boston Globe
12-06-2025
- Boston Globe
A flight attendant impersonator scammed tickets for more than 120 flights
Of those flights, 34 were on Spirit Airlines. In a news release, prosecutors said he claimed to work for seven airlines, providing about 30 badge numbers and dates of hire to book flights through a website available only to flight crew. He still had to provide his name and birth date to get a boarding pass. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'That information is how he was ultimately caught, with his fraudulently secured flights piling up in Spirit's log books until it was large enough for the airline to take notice,' court documents say. Advertisement The Transportation Security Administration said it started investigating Alexander in 2023. 'While Alexander was able to board flights by fraudulently obtaining a boarding pass, he underwent all applicable TSA security procedures, including ID verification and physical screening, and did not pose a threat to other airline passengers,' the agency said in a statement. 'TSA remains dedicated to the security of the flying public and will continue to support the prosecution of those who break air travel laws.' A federal grand jury handed down the indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in October, but Alexander wasn't taken into custody until February. He was arrested trying to fly from San Francisco to Australia, according to court records. Advertisement Alexander most recently worked for American Airlines in customer service, court documents say, but had been suspended without pay for about a year when he was arrested. His employment history, as detailed in filings, shows a long interest in aviation. He worked as a flight attendant for two regional airlines between 2013 and 2015. He had since tried to return to the skies, applying to the Alaska Airlines pilot academy in 2022 and for flight attendant jobs at Alaska and Delta in 2024. Prosecutors declined to comment; Alexander's public defenders did not respond to emails requesting comment Wednesday. Alexander was convicted of four counts of wire fraud, each of which could carry a maximum of 20 years in prison, and one count of entering a secure airport area under false pretenses, which has a maximum sentence of 10 years. Each count can also come with a top fine of $250,000. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August, according to the Justice Department's news release. It is not the first time a flier has pulled one over on an airline. Con man Frank Abagnale Jr. said he posed as a pilot as a teenager for free flights, a feat that got him portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie 'Catch Me if You Can.' A man in India tried to gain his own pilot perks with a fake ID before being arrested in 2019. And a Houston man who had previously worked for an airline pleaded guilty to making false identity cards to get free flights on Spirit in 2021. Advertisement
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Brilliant airhead! Conman scored 120 free flights in clever ‘Catch Me If You Can'-style scam
Paging Frank Abagnale, Jr.! A Florida conman scored more than 120 free flights by posing as a crew member with at least seven different airlines in a wild, 'Catch Me If You Can'-style scam, according to federal prosecutors. Tiron Alexander, 35 — whose scheme echoes that of the real-life imposter pilot who inspired the Leonardo DiCaprio movie — was convicted of fraud June 5, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. Advertisement Alexander took swindling to new heights by submitting scores of fake flight attendant credentials, including phony badge numbers, to book free flights between 2018 and 2024, federal prosecutors said. The scam echoes the one featured in the 2002 movie 'Catch Me If You Can.' Svitlana – The clever airhead turned in the bogus paperwork, complete with roughly 30 fabricated hire dates and ID numbers, to get aboard flights without paying — a perk only offered to pilots and crew members, prosecutors said. Advertisement All told, Alexander went on at least 34 free flights and booked a total of at least 120 without ever working for any of the airlines involved, authorities said. The fraudster previously worked for an unidentified airline in Dallas but was never a pilot or flight attendant for the firm, according to the prosecutors. Crew members and pilots are given free flights by airlines. Svitlana – He was found guilty of wire fraud and entering secure airport areas under false pretenses and faces up to 20 years behind bars. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 25. Advertisement By contrast, 'Catch Me if You Can' tells the true story of conman Frank Abagnale, Jr. who impersonated a Pan Am pilot, a doctor and a lawyer — all before turning 19 years old. He was eventually caught in 1970 and later used his expertise in fraud to work with the FBI.
Los Angeles Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
OC Parks welcomes visitors to Old Orange County Courthouse for a day of art and music
The Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana is one of the county's most iconic historic landmarks. Dedicated in 1901, the restored 30,000-square foot building is no longer an active courthouse, but it does still serve the community by offering interpretive programs, art shows and performing civil marriage ceremonies. This weekend, OC Parks invites the public to make special memories at the Old Courthouse. On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., OC Parks will host 'Spring into Summer,' a new music and art event suitable for all ages, with the chance to learn about all of OC Park's upcoming summer events and programs. 'Spring into Summer welcomes all to enjoy an afternoon of fun and entertainment,' said County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento in a news release. 'I am excited to invite the community to join this celebration that will include live music, art and history.' Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the courthouse lawn for live music performances from The Como la Flor Band: A Tribute to Selena, fronted by Tina Aldana who replicates the look, sound and moves of the famous Tejano Queen, and passionate Latin orchestra, Yari Moré Latin Band. Craft workshops, sketch drawing demonstrations and a paleontology booth are planned, along with a special exhibit at the Third Floor Gallery titled, 'Backyard Kingdom: Orange County's Natural World.' Families can explore Orange County's diverse ecosystems and maybe even get inspired to explore the outdoors with OC Parks, which currently manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space. Historically, the courthouse has stood as a witness to local government proceedings that shaped early Orange County. The original building was established on land the county bought from the founder of Santa Ana, William Spurgeon; its first use was as a jail. In 1900, the Orange County Board of Supervisors commissioned Los Angeles architect Charles Strange to design the courthouse we see today. Several important cases were heard in its courtroom over the years. After the county's courthouse operations moved to new digs, the old building underwent a multi-phased restoration project that began in 1983. It was reopened to the public as a museum and historic landmark in 1992. Since that transformation, the beautiful wood courtroom has served as a backdrop to Hollywood films like 'Catch Me if You Can,' starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and 'Legally Blonde,' starring Reese Witherspoon. OC Parks offers free tours of the Old Orange County Courthouse Monday through Friday by appointment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Old Courthouse Museum is always free. Free parking will be offered on Saturday. 'Free admission and parking allow residents from near and far to attend, become more familiar with the many summer programs offered by OC Parks, and will also highlight Orange County's Historic Courthouse,' said Sarmiento. 'Spring Into Summer' will take place at the Old Orange County Courthouse at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free. Free parking is available at P8/Transit Tower parking structure at 301 W. 5th St., Santa Ana.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Start-up Airline Just Unveiled a Luxe Business Class to Compete With Emirates
The trend these days among a number of air carriers is to raise business class to a level that competitors call first class. Start-up airline Riyadh Air plans to follow that game plan with its initial fleet of Boeing 787-9 airliners, scheduled to start operations by the end of 2025. Unlike other cash-starved start-ups, Riyadh Air will have the backing of the Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which means extremely deep pockets to create a first-class experience at business-class rates. 'We want to bring back grace, beauty, and charm,' Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas tells Robb Report. 'We want a modern-day version of TWA or Pan Am at their height in the 1960s, like Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me if You Can, but with a modernistic twist.' More from Robb Report Inside This Family's 7-Year Voyage Around the World Aboard a 146-Foot Explorer Yacht A Trio of Luxury Residential Developments Are Unveiled Along the Red Sea How the Layali Diriyah Pop-Up Is Redefining Luxury Retail-in the Saudi Desert The executive team has taken a pedantic interest in meticulously crafting the image of the airline, from liveries that resemble a rock band's private jet, to the spiffy, almost futuristic crew uniforms it introduced at Paris Fashion Week. But beyond the public-facing aircraft and staff, its business-class section is a tasteful collection of colors and materials, shaped into what Douglas calls a 'signature geometry' loosely inspired by a Bedouin tent that adds subtle curves across the business-class area. 'It has an obsessional level of detail throughout,' Douglas says. 'We believe the cabin is going to stand out from the crowd because of its elegance and refinement. We call it the art of design.' The cabin's design by PriestmanGoode is full-out luxe in the business-class section, including the four Business Elite seats and 24 other Business seats. The lighting is subtle, and the details of the seating areas include rich-purple textures as well as indigo, mocha, skyline blue, lavender. The stitching in the upholstery is reminiscent of a supercar, and the mocha-hued stoned accents with gold veins in the side rests and tray tables deliver a tasteful, subtle blend with the overall design. The Business Elite seats in the first row have two seats that can be combined into a double bed, and the section also features a 32-inch 4K OLED IFE screen, which Riyadh refers to as the 'world's largest business class screen,' compared to 22 inches in standard business. All seats are configured 1-2-1, with a seat width of 22.5 inches, a 78-inch fully flat bed, and 52-inch-high walls with sliding privacy doors. The airline is particularly proud of the Safran Unity seats, which include built-in speakers from Devialet, to offer an immersive surround-sound experience in the headrest that doesn't travel to other seat areas. Riyadh will be one of the first to offer the ergonomically advanced Safran Unity seats, which made their debut in Japan Airlines's first-class section this year. Riyadh is also calling itself the world's first 'digital-native' airline, which refers partly to free Wi-Fi across the cabin, via Viasat onboard streaming, but also to the customer experience of booking a flight. 'We wanted to be a start-up that embraces technology in a different way,' says Douglas. 'We're now in what we call our 2.0 version and will be releasing the 3.0 version in a few months. That will make us more like what you do with Amazon and its shopping basket.' The system will allow passengers to book as a single party as well as experiences at the destination like visiting a museum or art gallery. The company declined to reveal its initial destinations until it opens its platform for booking at an undisclosed time, but Douglas says the list should include capitals of Western Europe and North America. Its central hub will be Riyadh. The start-up eventually plans to have 100 destinations around the world as it transitions to the country's primary carrier. On an as-of-yet-unannounced aircraft type, Riyadh plans to introduce a first class section that is even more lavish than its business class. The rise of a contemporary start-up airline coincides with Saudi Arabia's plan to expand its tourism base as the Kingdom attempts to move its image away from a wealthy but inward-focused country to a more modern, moderate version. The long-term goal is to supplement oil revenues with tourism. A recent report said that after opening its borders in 2019, Saudi Arabia has seen annual tourist visits growing from 17.5 million in 2019 to 30 million last year. Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal judge hears arguments on deportation flights
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A federal judge is giving the Trump administration until noon eastern time to provide more information about why the judge says the White House ignored a court ruling to pause deportation flights. The administration says the judge's order from this weekend was unlawful. The judge says the White House must provide specific information on the flights, including a sworn statement that no one on any deportation flights since were placed on board under the Alien Enemies Act. Federal judge James Boasberg says the White House must come clean about whether it ignored his weekend orders to pause some deportation flights. 'We played a little game of Catch Me if You Can and guess what, the judge wasn't able to catch us on this one,' said White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields. On Saturday, Judge Boasberg temporarily halted deportation flights bound for El Salvador that carried suspected Venezuelan gang members. He also ordered two flights already in the air to return to the U.S., which did not. 'The judge's orders came after the flights were already in the air. And at that time, they're over international waters and unfortunately that judge lost,' said Fields. Department of Justice lawyers argued the judge's order was verbal, not written. Judge Boasberg was highly skeptical of that argument. 'What this case is about is using a wartime authority during peacetime,' said ACLU Lead Counsel Lee Gelernt. At issue is President Donald Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act, a law from 1798 allowing the government to deport noncitizens with no trial or hearing. 'Congress could not have been clear that it can only be used where a foreign government or nation is in a declared war with the United States, or is invading,' said Gelernt. The White House says it is following the law and court rulings. 'The president did the right thing, I stand by it,' said border czar Tom Homan. Judge Boasberg's order to pause deportation flights for two weeks is meant to give him time to decide whether President Trump exceeded his authority. 'Our country is based on the assumption that there are three equal branches and that the federal courts will say what the law is and the other two branches will adhere to those rulings. Once that ends, we're in a very different situation in this country. We're no longer a country based on the rule of law,' said Gelernt. President Trump is calling the judge in this case a 'radical left lunatic' and calling for him to be impeached, potentially setting up a major showdown between the White House and the judicial branch. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
