4 flight attendants abused “their privileges as airline staff” and smuggled “tens of millions of greenbacks of drug cash” out of New York Town to the Dominican Republic, federal government stated Wednesday.The suspects had get admission to to the “Identified Crewmember (KCM)” lane at John F. Kennedy World Airport, giving them rapid and X-ray-free passage via safety, government stated.”In impact, given those loosened safety procedures, KCM privileges permit flight attendants to circumvent airport safety with huge amounts of money with out that money being seized,” a grievance written by way of a Place of origin Safety Investigations particular agent stated. Charlie Hernandez, 42; Sarah Valerio Pujols, 24; Emmanuel Torres, 34; and Jarol Fabio, 35, all face more than a few fees hooked up to “unlicensed cash transmission,” prosecutors stated. Hernandez lives in West New York, New Jersey, whilst the opposite 3 defendants are living in New York Town, officers stated.They’re accused of smuggling about $8 million in general in “bulk money” to the Dominican Republic, prosecutors stated. “As alleged, those flight attendants smuggled tens of millions of greenbacks of drug cash and legislation enforcement price range that they concept used to be drug cash from the US to the Dominican Republic over a few years by way of abusing their privileges as airline staff,” U.S. Legal professional Damian Williams stated in a commentary.An informant gave Hernandez $121,215 — price range “derived from narcotics trafficking” — and he then gave Pujols $61,215 of that cash for them to take to the Dominican Republic in December 2019, in line with the grievance.Torres is accused of smuggling a minimum of $1.5 million in drug cash to the Dominican Republic between 2015 and 2022, the grievance stated. Fabio allegedly sneaked out $1.5 million between 2015 and 2023, federal government stated.Delta Airways showed that two of the defendants paintings for the Atlanta-based provider.“Delta has cooperated absolutely with legislation enforcement on this investigation and can proceed to take action,” the airline stated in a commentary.The 4 had been arrested Tuesday, a Place of origin Safety Investigations spokesperson stated.An lawyer for Pujols stated her consumer is now not in custody however declined any more remark.A legal professional for Fabio may just now not instantly be reached for remark Wednesday. There have been no legal professionals instantly indexed in court docket data for Hernandez and Torres.
David Okay. LiDavid Okay. Li is a senior breaking information reporter for NBC Information Virtual.Jay BlackmanJay Blackman is an NBC Information manufacturer overlaying such spaces as transportation, house, scientific and shopper problems.Michael Kosnar and Donna Mendell contributed.
