A Brooklyn flight attendant was arrested for allegedly using her flight benefits to scam a senior citizen out of $25,000.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The Flight Attendant Said She Was From Publishers Clearing House
As the Daily Mail reports, a warrant was issued for the arrest of 24-year-old Destiny Blake by Flagler County, Florida. According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection then took her in at Miami International Airport on Friday, Oct. 23.
Blake allegedly carried out a sweepstakes scam over the past year to obtain $25,000 from an elderly woman in Palm Coast, Florida.
The criminal ruse began in Nov. 2025. Police said Blake called the woman and pretended to be someone from Publishers Clearing House. The flight attendant told the victim she had won one of its sweepstakes, but she had to send a $500 gift card to Blake's Brooklyn address to retrieve her winnings.
The victim then lost access to her email because the password was changed. The account was replaced with a similar one she never created.
The elderly woman withdrew $14,000 from her bank accounts between Nov. 15, 2025, and Nov. 19, 2025, and Blake received $14,220 around the same time.
Blake Then Went to the Elderly Woman's Home
Using her travel benefits, Blake flew from New York City to Daytona Beach, Florida, and went to the victim's home. According to the FCSO, she allegedly retrieved the elderly woman's credit card information and then used it to make purchases at airports in Daytona and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Detectives allege that Blake listed herself as an authorized user on the victim's account and made herself a separate Apple Card. A note inside the elderly woman's home instructed her to call the card company and tell them Blake was her granddaughter, police allege.
Police say Blake then spent over $10,000 on the elderly woman's credit card, including purchases from Apple, eBay, and several Uber Eats orders. According to the FCSO, there were 88 charges made on the victim's card.
"Most flight attendants use their benefits to see the world," said a statement from Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. "Blake used hers to further a scam against a senior resident, live a lavish lifestyle using stolen bank cards and thinking she could get away with it.
"Her wings were clipped by our detectives, and with the help of CPB, she was arrested. Her next trip? Flagler County to be held accountable for her crimes."
