A flight attendant from American Airlines was arrested at Miami International Airport, accused of defrauding a 75-year-old woman residing in Palm Coast, Florida, of approximately $25,310.
According to investigators, the suspect used her employment benefits to travel for free to the city where the victim lived, visit her at her home, and gain access to her bank cards.
Destiny Blake, 24 years old and a resident of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested on Friday, October 23, 2026, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents while returning from an international flight, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
The arrest warrant had been issued on October 13, following an investigation into banking operations and fraudulent purchases made between November and December 2025.
The scam began with a call about a supposed prize
The case dates back to November 2025, when the victim received a call from someone claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House, a U.S. company known for its sweepstakes and prizes.
The person who called assured him that he had won a prize, but that in order to receive it, he needed to mail a $500 gift card in the name of Destiny Blake to an address in Brooklyn.
The woman followed the instructions. Shortly after, she lost access to her email account, the password and recovery information of which had been modified.
The investigators also detected changes related to a similar email address that the victim had never created.
Between November 15 and 19, 2025, the woman withdrew more than $14,000 from her bank account.
According to the authorities, Blake received $14,220 in cash and through Zelle transfers.
He traveled for free to Florida and visited the victim's residence
One of the most striking aspects of the investigation is the alleged use that Blake made of the travel benefits she had as an employee of American Airlines.
On November 18, 2025, the flight attendant flew from New York to Daytona Beach as a standby passenger, without paying a regular airfare.
From there, he took an Uber to a hotel in Palm Coast, where he spent the night.
The next morning, another vehicle took her to the woman's house, just before 11:00 a.m.
According to the transport records examined by the detectives, he/she stayed at the residence for approximately 15 minutes before returning to the airport.
According to court documents cited by the magazine People, the victim does not recall the meeting due to medical issues.
Her sister later found a note in the residence with instructions to call the credit card company and state that Blake was her granddaughter and was authorized to use the account.
The detectives determined that Blake had been added as an authorized user of the victim's Apple Card and that a card had been issued in her name.
They also identified purchases made with that account at the airports in Daytona Beach and Charlotte, North Carolina.
A total of 88 fraudulent transactions and purchases in Jamaica
Between November 16 and December 11, 2025, the researchers identified 88 unauthorized transactions totaling 10,590.30 dollars on the victim's cards.
Among the transactions were a purchase of $1,740.91 on eBay, with the order shipped to Blake's address in Brooklyn, and another $1,523.16 spent on Apple products.
Charges were also recorded at T-Mobile, Ugg, a beauty salon in Brooklyn, and numerous orders for transportation and food through Uber and Uber Eats.
One of the Uber transactions was billed in Jamaican dollars in Kingston, Jamaica, two days after Blake traveled to that country as part of his work for the airline, according to investigators.
The investigation revealed other elements that presumably linked the accused to the operations. Several online purchases were made using her name, email address, and phone number.
Additionally, the detectives obtained surveillance footage that, according to authorities, shows Blake using the victim's card at a supermarket in Queens, New York.
The location records from her phone also placed her near several stores on the dates of the investigated transactions.
According to the Flagler Sheriff’s Office, the woman's economic losses amounted to approximately $25,310, including the money given and fraudulent charges.
Three serious charges and a bail of $30,000
Blake faces three charges of felony offenses: involvement in an organized scheme to defraud more than $20,000 from a person aged 65 or older, fraudulent use of personal identification information of a person aged 60 or older, and grand theft of over $20,000.
After her arrest, she was transferred to the Miami-Dade County jail and later released on a $30,000 bond.
According to court records cited by People, their arraignment is scheduled for November 24, 2026 before the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly criticized the alleged use of the defendant's employment benefits to commit the fraud.
"The majority of flight attendants take advantage of their benefits to explore the world. Blake used his to carry out a scam against an elderly person, enjoy a luxurious lifestyle through the use of stolen bank cards, and thought he could do so without facing consequences," the official stated, according to NBC Miami.
"Her wings were clipped by our detectives. What's her next trip? To Flagler County to answer for her crimes," Staly added.
The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who believes they have been a victim of a similar scam or who has had financial dealings related to Blake to contact their investigators at 386-313-4911.
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