Four flight attendants make millions of dollars smuggling drugs

Four flight attendants have been charged in connection with a years-long scheme to smuggle “millions of dollars in drug money” on commercial flights from New York to the Dominican Republic, US federal authorities said.

The flight attendants: Charlie Hernandez, 42; Sarah Valerio Pujols, 24; Emanuel Torres, 34; and Jarol Fabio, 35, were all arrested on various charges, including operating an unlicensed money transmission business.

According to a pair of federal indictments unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, all defendants had “Known Crew Member” status with the Transportation Security Administration.

Using this status, they could gain access to a special security lane at John F. Kennedy International Airport without undergoing the usual passenger screening procedures.

By “abusing their privileges as airline employees,” the flight attendants managed to move about $8 million in “bulk cash” from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic over several years, said U.S. attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.

According to the indictment, the smuggling took place from at least 2014 until as late as 2023.