Man flies from Denmark to US without passport, visa, ticket
A man from Russia flew from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Los Angeles, California, without a passport, a visa, a plane ticket, or any record showing he was on the flight.
NBC Los Angeles reported that Sergey Ochigava arrived via Scandinavian Airlines at the Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 4 at around 1 p.m.
Officers from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) then found that Ochigava wasn’t listed as a passenger on the flight manifest.
He was then asked for a passport, which he couldn’t produce. He reportedly lied about leaving it on the plane.
Fox News, citing court documents, reported that the flight crew noticed Ochigava wandering around the plane and kept changing his seat. They said they didn't see his boarding pass, though they noted that the seat he initially took was supposedly unoccupied.
He also allegedly asked for two meals during each meal service. According to Fox News, he even attempted to eat the chocolate that belonged to a cabin crew member.
CBP officials couldn't find documentation that he had a flight to the U.S., which they said should’ve appeared in their system if he had a booking in the first place.
Officials didn’t find Ochigava’s passport, though they discovered his identification cards in his belongings. His IDs show he holds Russian and Israeli citizenship.
He also had a partial passport photo on his phone, showing his name, date of birth, and passport number. It, however, didn't show the passport holder’s photo.
Ochigava also reportedly told officials that he has a doctorate in economics and marketing. He said he worked as an economist in Russia a long time ago.
Officials have filed a criminal complaint against Ochigava, NBC reported.