A flight attendant impersonator scammed tickets for more than 120 flights
A 35-year-old man was convicted last week of scoring free airline flights by posing as a flight attendant dozens of times since 2018.
Tiron Alexander was convicted by a federal jury of wire fraud and entering a secure area of an airport under false pretenses. Authorities said he took advantage of airline policies that allow pilots and flight attendants on competing carriers to fly free as 'non-revenue' passengers.
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Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man Posing as Flight Attendant Scammed 4 Airlines Out of 120 Flights
Originally appeared on E! Online A man who pretended to be a flight attendant for six years is no longer flying high. Florida local Tiron Alexander, 35, was convicted on June 5 of wire fraud and entering into a secure area of an airport by false pretenses, according to a release from the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 25. The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida stated in a June 10 release, "According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2018 to 2024, Alexander booked free flights on an airline carrier's website that were only available to pilots and flight attendants." Alexander had worked for a Dallas-based airline company since 2015 but was never a pilot or flight attendant, per the indictment obtained by NBC News. He is accused of booking 120 free flights in total across four airlines by "falsely claiming to be a flight attendant.' tk More from E! Online Gilligan's Island Star Tina Louise Makes Rare Public Outing at 91 TikToker Joshua Blackledge's Cause of Death Revealed at 16 Heidi Klum and Seal's Son Johan Is All Grown Up in Rare High School Graduation Photo "Alexander claimed through the airline carrier's website application process—a process that required an applicant to select whether they were a pilot or flight attendant and provide their employer, date of hire, and badge number information," the release continued, "that he worked for seven different airlines and had approximately 30 different badge numbers and dates of hire." As for how Alexander made it through security? The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released a statement explaining he went through all airport security procedures, per NBC News. For more air-travel related incidents this year, read on. (E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.) For more air-travel related incidents this year, read on. (E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.) Jan. 29: American Airlines Flight 5342 Collides With Army Black Hawk HelicopterJan. 31: Medical Transport Jet Crashes in PhiladelphiaFeb. 6: Small Plane Crash in Alaska Kills 10Feb. 10: Vince Neil's Learjet Involved in Fatal CollisionFeb. 17: Delta Jet Crash Lands in Toronto and Flips OverFeb. 19: Private Planes Collide at Arizona Airport, Killing 2March 1: FedEx Plane Engine Catches Fire After Colliding With BirdMarch 29: Small Plane Crashes Into Minnesota Home
Associated Press
44 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Vanguard News Launches Vanguard Incarcerated Press to Amplify Voices from Inside the Prison System
06/12/2025, Davis, California // PRODIGY: Feature Story // Vanguard News Group Vanguard News Group has officially launched its groundbreaking prison journalism initiative, Vanguard Incarcerated Press (VIP), a program built on education, justice, and the transformative power of storytelling from within the prison system. The program was born from an unlikely and deeply moving source: a Nepali family advocating for a loved one who had been wrongly convicted and sentenced to over 300 years in prison. Vanguard News founder David Greenwald was introduced to other incarcerated individuals, motivating him to create a prison newspaper. The publication never fully came to fruition due to overly restrictive prison policies. But the idea planted a seed. 'I visited him multiple times a year over seven or eight years,' said Greenwald. 'He introduced me to folks who were trying to launch something powerful behind bars. Even though the prison itself was too conservative to allow that paper to thrive, it made me realize how badly this kind of platform was needed.' Now, that dream has become a reality. Vanguard Incarcerated Press is a print and digital journalism platform led by and for incarcerated individuals. The publication mails physical newspapers to its subscribers, including courts, institutions, and justice advocates, and features new articles regularly on its website. All stories are written, edited, and reviewed with the direct involvement of incarcerated people themselves. Three incarcerated individuals currently serve on the editorial board, reviewing submissions, editing pieces, and approving content for publication. Others contribute as writers, and for many, it's the first time their voices have been heard outside prison walls. 'Seeing your own byline in print when you're locked up; it means something,' said Greenwald. 'It builds pride, purpose, and a sense that your story matters.' VIP mirrors the success of Vanguard's Court Watch program, which trains college students in journalism and legal observation. But in this case, the participants are incarcerated people, many of whom never graduated high school. Through the program, they learn to write, report, edit, and build the kind of skills that reduce recidivism and increase their chances of parole. One graduate of the early pilot effort, formerly incarcerated for nearly a decade, is now earning his bachelor's degree and sits on Vanguard's Board of Directors. His story, and many others, show what's possible when people are given a second chance and the right tools to succeed. Vanguard News is now collaborating with a state university professor to formalize the program into a certified curriculum. The goal is to develop a journalism certificate (and potentially a degree track) that incarcerated students can complete from inside, gaining a recognized credential they can carry into life after prison. 'This is twofold,' Greenwald explained. 'We're exposing injustice through our reporting, but we're also giving people inside a real skillset, a path forward, and dignity.' Despite its promise, the program faces steep financial challenges. Vanguard News operates on the margins, relying on donations, small grants, and an increasing need for grassroots fundraising. Greenwald, who now also serves as the program's primary fundraiser, says he's learned to be creative: 'We have donate buttons, we accept mail-in checks, and I've even taken donations over Cash App. You have to meet people where they are.' Supporters can contribute directly via Vanguard News' website or reach out to help fund specific program goals, including but not limited to: expanding editorial capacity to meet growing submissions, printing and mailing physical newspapers to more facilities, developing the accredited journalism certificate program, or providing tablets and tech access for easier communication between contributors and editors. Vanguard Incarcerated Press is not just another publication. It is a lifeline; both an outlet for incarcerated individuals to tell their stories and a tool for social change. It reminds society that those behind bars still have a voice, and for many, that voice is the beginning of redemption. Greenwald sums it up best: 'We're helping the public understand the system while aiding the people in the system to change their own lives. That's the power of journalism.' Media Contact Name: David Greenwald Email: [email protected]@ Source published by Submit Press Release >> Vanguard News Launches Vanguard Incarcerated Press to Amplify Voices from Inside the Prison System
Associated Press
44 minutes ago
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An immigrant in Wisconsin has been released on bond after false accusation he threatened Trump
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A man who was falsely accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump and threatened with deportation to Mexico was released Thursday from a Wisconsin jail on bond, three weeks after federal immigration agents arrested him. Ramón Morales Reyes, 54, was accused of a writing a letter threatening Trump in a social media post by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that got widespread national coverage. The post includes Morales Reyes' photo and an excerpt from the letter he purportedly wrote in English. But the claims quickly fell apart as Wisconsin authorities determined that Reyes, who doesn't speak English well or write in the language, was framed. Morales Reyes was a victim in a violent 2023 attack where his bike was stolen. According to authorities, the alleged attacker, Demetric D. Scott, forged the letter to try to clear his case. Morales Reyes was set to be a witness in Scott's July trial for armed robbery and aggravated battery. Morales Reyes was released after paying the $7,500 bond that an immigration judge set on Tuesday. Speaking to WISN-TV, Morales Reyes said he and his lawyer will fight his deportation. 'I believe (the lawyer) knows the history and all of you know what happened,' he said. Judge Carla Espinoza said at the immigration court hearing in Chicago that Morales Reyes was not a threat to the community. Morales Reyes, a married father of three U.S. citizen children, works as a dishwasher in Milwaukee. He was arrested by immigration agents last month after dropping a child off at school. He immigrated from Mexico in the 1980s and doesn't have legal permission to be in the U.S. This year, he applied for a U visa, which is for people in the country illegally who are victims of serious crimes. Getting such a visa can take years. Homeland Security issued a statement to reporters last week saying that although Morales Reyes was no longer considered a threat to Trump, federal attorneys would still pursue an immigration case. The government alleges that Morales Reyes reentered the U.S. numerous times without a visa. Morales Reyes had been held in the Dodge Detention Center in Juneau, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of Milwaukee. He was released after the federal government did not appeal the setting of his bond. Noem's social media post blaming Morales Reyes for an assassination attempt, which was circulated by Trump supporters, remains online. ___ Tareen reported from Chicago.
