Federal prosecutors revealed that Svetlana Dali had a history of evading airport security measures before her recent incident on a Delta flight from New York to Paris. The authorities stated that Dali, 57, managed to access secure areas at JFK Airport in New York and Bradley International Airport in Connecticut without a boarding pass.
At Bradley Airport, Dali attempted to enter TSA security checkpoints without a boarding pass on two occasions, successfully bypassing security measures the second time. She was noted wearing the same boots and backpack during both incidents, suggesting a pattern of behavior.
In a separate incident in 2024, customs agents discovered Dali hiding in a bathroom in a secure area of Miami International Airport. Despite claiming to have arrived on an Air France flight, there was no record of her presence on the flight or leaving the United States in the previous five years.
During her unauthorized presence on Delta flight 264 to Paris, Dali hid in a lavatory for hours. When confronted by a flight attendant, she pretended to be ill to justify her extended stay in the bathroom. Dali failed to produce a boarding pass or identification when asked, providing fake names instead.
Upon landing in Paris, French law enforcement arrested Dali on the plane due to her unauthorized presence. Despite attempts to return her to the United States, Dali refused and was ultimately detained in France. Prosecutors plan to introduce evidence of her previous security breaches during her upcoming trial on stowaway charges.
After returning to New York to address charges, Dali purportedly removed her ankle monitor and journeyed to Buffalo with intentions of crossing the Peace Bridge into Canada before being captured. Dali has entered a plea of not guilty to a federal stowaway charge. The individual accused of being a stowaway on a Delta flight had reportedly committed previous airport security breaches, according to federal authorities. This information was first reported on abcnews.go.com
