A former Toronto flight attendant for a Canadian airline has pleaded responsible in U.S. federal courtroom to wire fraud after being accused of posing as a pilot to get lots of of free flights.
Dallas Pokornik, 33, of Toronto, was indicted on Oct. 2, 2025, for wire fraud and arrested in Panama earlier than being extradited to the U.S., the legal professional’s workplace for the District of Hawaii mentioned in a information launch Friday.
Courtroom paperwork confirmed Pokornik used a fictitious worker identification card between January 2020 and Oct. 28, 2024 to acquire the free flights, the workplace mentioned.
As a part of his responsible plea, U.S. Legal professional Ken Sorenson mentioned Pokornik has agreed to pay restitution to the three U.S.-based airways. The three airways haven’t been recognized, however the indictment mentioned they had been based mostly in Honolulu, Chicago and Fort Price, Texas.
“Journey safety protocols assist preserve our residents and guests secure, and anybody who breaches these protocols ought to count on to be delivered to justice,” Sorenson mentioned in a information launch. “We thank our legislation enforcement companions at Homeland Safety Investigations and overseas for serving to us maintain this fraudster accountable.”
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The indictment mentioned Pokornik would additionally request a bounce seat within the cockpit — an space usually reserved for off-duty pilots — though he was not a pilot and didn’t maintain an airman’s certificates.
It was not clear from courtroom paperwork whether or not he had ever ridden in a aircraft’s cockpit.
Pokornik faces as much as 20 years in jail, a superb of as much as US$250,000 and a time period of supervised launch.
“Dallas Pokornik’s responsible plea is a testomony to the seamless collaboration between HSI Honolulu, the Division of Justice, and our worldwide legislation enforcement companions. This particular person took benefit of journey safety protocols for his personal profit, and he’ll now face the implications of his actions,” CJ Ammons, Homeland Safety Investigations appearing particular agent in cost, mentioned in a information launch.
Pokornik is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 8.
— with information from World Information’ Rachel Goodman and The Related Press
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