Airline employee accused of taking $25,000 from Florida pensioner in sweepstakes scam
A 24-year-old American Airlines flight attendant from Brooklyn was arrested on suspicion of taking about $25,000 from an elderly woman in Palm Coast, Florida, through a fake sweepstakes scheme. Flagler County detectives say Destiny Blake used her staff travel benefits to visit the woman’s home and obtain her credit card details.
Police say Blake posed as a Publishers Clearing House representative in November 2025 and asked the woman to send a $500 gift card to claim winnings. The victim later lost access to her email, withdrew $14,000, and Blake allegedly received $14,220; investigators also say 88 card charges totalling $10,590.30 covered Apple products, other shopping and food deliveries. Blake was arrested at Miami International Airport on a Flagler County warrant.
In short
- A flight attendant was arrested over an alleged $25,000 sweepstakes scam.
- Police say she used staff travel benefits to visit the victim.
- Investigators cite 88 credit card charges totalling $10,590.30.
Explained simply
Sweepstakes scams trick people into believing they have won a prize, then ask them to pay fees or share financial details to receive it. Legitimate prize organisers do not require winners to buy gift cards to claim winnings.
Publishers Clearing House is a US company known for prize giveaways. Older people can be targeted by scammers who use a familiar company’s name to build trust and obtain money or access to accounts.
American Airlines is a US airline whose employees may receive travel benefits. Police say those benefits were used to visit the woman’s home; the allegations concern the employee’s conduct, and an arrest does not establish guilt.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “American Airlines flight attendant used her free travel benefits to jet to vulnerable elderly woman’s house and scam her, sheriff claims”.