Canadian man accused of using fake pilot badge to board hundreds of flights
According to the sources, Pokornik used a fake employee identification card and a fake badge to gain access to employee travel privileges typically reserved for airline staff
A Canadian man has been accused by US prosecutors of posing as airline personnel to obtain hundreds of free flights over several years, according to sources familiar with the case.
Dallas Pokornik, 33, of Toronto, is alleged to have impersonated both a pilot and a flight attendant between January 2020 and October 2024, using counterfeit employee identification to access flights on US airlines. Prosecutors say the scheme targeted three unnamed airlines headquartered in Honolulu, Chicago and Fort Worth, reports the BBC.
According to the sources, Pokornik used a fake employee identification card and a fake badge to gain access to employee travel privileges typically reserved for airline staff. Authorities allege that he was able to obtain hundreds of free flights during the four-year period.
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The sources said Pokornik also requested access to a "jump seat" inside aircraft cockpits, a seat reserved for off-duty pilots. He did not possess a pilot's license or an airman's certificate, and it remains unclear whether he ever successfully rode in a cockpit during any flight.
Pokornik was not employed by any airline during the period covered by the alleged fraud. However, the sources noted that he had previously worked as a flight attendant for a Canadian airline from 2017 to 2019, experience that may have helped him navigate airline procedures and appear credible to staff.
Authorities said the alleged conduct bore "striking similarities" to the movie Catch Me If You Can, which depicts a con artist impersonating an airline pilot to travel internationally.
Pokornik was arrested in Panama and extradited to the United States, where he now faces wire fraud charges, according to the Department of Justice. The current indictment focuses on alleged misconduct between January and October 2024, though prosecutors say they are aware of similar activity dating back to early 2020.
If convicted, Pokornik faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Prosecutors allege the scheme exploited weaknesses in how airlines verify physical credentials and employee travel privileges, as well as a lack of coordination among carriers when granting access to staff-only benefits.
