A 24-year-old American Airlines flight attendant has been arrested in the United States over allegations that she defrauded a 75-year-old woman of more than $25,000 through a fake sweepstakes scheme and used airline travel benefits to visit the victim.
The suspect, identified as Destiny Blake of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested at Miami International Airport by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers after arriving on an international flight, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
Investigators said the alleged scam began in November 2025, when someone claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House contacted the victim and told her she had won a prize. The woman was allegedly instructed to send a $500 gift card to an address in Brooklyn before she could collect the supposed winnings.
Authorities said the victim subsequently lost access to her email account after its password was changed. Investigators also found that she withdrew more than $14,000 from her bank account over several days, with Blake allegedly receiving $14,220 through cash and Zelle payments.
According to investigators, Blake used her employee travel benefits to fly from New York to Daytona Beach in November 2025. She then travelled by Uber to the victim’s home in Palm Coast, Florida, where she allegedly obtained access to the woman’s credit-card information.
Detectives later identified 88 transactions totalling more than $10,590 on the victim’s credit cards between November 16 and December 11, 2025. The reported purchases included Apple products, an eBay order, clothing, mobile phone services and numerous Uber rides and food deliveries.
Investigators also said the victim had been added to an arrangement in which Blake was an authorised user of her Apple Card account. A family member later discovered a handwritten note instructing the victim to tell the credit-card company that Blake was her granddaughter and had permission to use the account.
The sheriff’s office said investigators relied on financial records, surveillance footage, cellphone location information and online purchase details as part of the case. The victim’s total losses were estimated at approximately $25,310.
Blake faces charges including an organised scheme to defraud more than $20,000 from a person aged 65 or older, fraudulent use of personal identification information involving an older person, and grand theft exceeding $20,000.
She was taken to the Miami-Dade County jail and subsequently released on a $30,000 bond, according to reports. The charges remain allegations, and the case must be determined through the legal process.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly criticised the alleged misuse of airline employee benefits, saying they had been used to facilitate a scheme against an older resident. Authorities have encouraged families to help older relatives protect their email accounts, banking details and credit-card information against fraud.
The case highlights the risks posed by fake prize notifications, which often pressure victims to pay money or disclose financial information in exchange for winnings that do not exist. Authorities advise the public to verify prize claims independently and avoid paying fees to collect unexpected lottery or sweepstakes rewards.
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