Four flight attendants abused their “privileges as airline employees” to smuggle “millions of dollars in drug money” from New York City to the Dominican Republic, federal authorities said Wednesday.
The suspects had access to “.Known Crew (KCM)“In the lane” John F. Kennedy At international airports, people can pass through security quickly and without X-rays, officials said.
“Given these lax security procedures, KCM’s privileges allow flight attendants to enter airport security with large amounts of cash without having it seized,” the complaint written by Homeland Security Investigations special agents said. This will allow them to avoid inspection.”
Charlie Hernandez, 42 years old. Sara Valerio Pujols, 24 years old. Emmanuel Torres, 34 years old. According to prosecutors, Jarol Fabio, 35, has been charged with various charges related to “unauthorized money transfers.”
Hernandez lives in West New York, New Jersey, and the other three defendants live in New York City, officials said.
They are suspected of smuggling “large amounts of cash” totaling about $8 million into the Dominican Republic, prosecutors said.
“As alleged, these flight attendants abused their privileges as airline employees to smuggle millions of dollars in drug funds and suspected drug law enforcement funds from the United States into the Dominican Republic over a period of years.” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. statement.
According to the complaint, an informant gave Hernandez $121,215 in funds “proceeded from drug trafficking,” and then took $61,215 of that money to take to the Dominican Republic in December 2019. He reportedly handed it over to Pujols.
Torres is suspected of smuggling at least $1.5 million in drug funds into the Dominican Republic from 2015 to 2022, according to the complaint. Federal authorities say Fabio is suspected of secretly stealing $1.5 million between 2015 and 2023.
Delta confirmed that two of the defendants work for the Atlanta-based airline.
“Delta has fully cooperated with law enforcement in this investigation and will continue to do so,” the airline said in a statement.
The four were arrested on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations.
Pujols’ attorney said her client is no longer in custody, but declined further comment.
Fabio’s lawyer could not be reached for comment Wednesday. No attorneys were immediately listed in court records for Hernandez and Torres.
