On May 22, a jury convicted Svetlana Dali of illegally traveling aboard an international flight as a stowaway. Her sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to reports, the Russian national with U.S. residency was in New York when she arrived at the JFK International Airport. She attempted to go through a security checkpoint, but she was turned away by a Transportation Security Administration agent because she didn’t have a boarding pass.

Rather than leaving the airport, she instead snuck over to a special security lane designated specifically for airline employees. Somehow, Dali was able to conceal herself within a large group of Air Europa flight crew and make it just past the TSA agent screening point where they identify each person. She was still patted down before walking directly up to the Delta gate.

Again, Dali concealed herself by getting in between a large group of ticketed passengers. As Delta Air Lines staffers checked tickets, Dali slipped past unnoticed. As soon as she got on the plane, she hid in the bathroom. Reports suggest that Dali was able to conceal herself in the restroom for hours.

She wasn’t discovered by Delta crew members until the plane was nearing its destination, Paris. Upon discovering the stowaway, crew members alerted French authorities about the situation.

Once they landed, Dali was immediately detained before she even made it to customs. Authorities flew Dali back to New York to face criminal charges. When she landed, she was immediately met by FBI agents and questioned for hours. The suspect admitted to the police that she got on the plane without a ticket and successfully evaded security agents throughout the airport. She told the authorities she did all this just to avoid buying a ticket. She also claimed that she had to leave the U.S. quickly because “people” were poisoning her and the police refused to protect her. Authorities are still investigating this claim.

Initially, Dali was released with electronic monitoring, but she attempted to escape by cutting off the monitor. She was captured again in Buffalo attempting to illegally enter into Canada.

Incredibly, investigators believe that this isn’t the first time the suspect has been a stowaway. They believe she has already evaded security measures at two other airports and possibly stowed away on a different flight. In one instance, she made it past checkpoints at Bradley International Airport but was unsuccessful in actually getting aboard a plane. Back in 2024, security also discovered Dali hiding in a bathroom at Miami International Airport. There are no records of the suspect being admitted to the U.S. within the past five years.

Stowing Away on an Aircraft is a Federal Crime

Individuals who attempt to stow away on an aircraft will face federal charges. You can be found guilty of this crime when you board an aircraft without proper authorization or a ticket. If convicted, then you could face up to a year in jail.

Schedule a free case review with our team of Brooklyn attorneys now to have your legal questions answered in detail.