A Russian citizen traveled to the United States without a passport or plane ticket

How did a man manage to evade all security checks at European airports?

US authorities are investigating after a Russian national boarded a plane and traveled from Denmark to Los Angeles in November without a passport or ticket.

IHe told investigators that he did not remember how he passed security checks in EuropeThat’s according to a federal complaint filed by the FBI.

Sergei Vladimirovich Ochegava arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on November 4 aboard Scandinavian Airlines Flight 931 from Copenhagen.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer did not find Sergey Vladimirovich Ochegava in the flight log or on any other incoming international flight.

The man described in court documents as having Russian and Israeli nationalities He is about forty years old, and he did not go unnoticed during the flight, during which he tried to talk to a number of passengers.

The crew told investigators that Sergei Vladimirovich Ochegava was sitting in a seat that was supposed to be empty when the flight took off. After takeoff, he continued to wander around the plane, change seats, and try to talk to other passengers, who ignored him, according to the FBI complaint.

It is too “Eat two meals during each shift, and at some point, try to eat the cabin crew’s chocolate.”according to the complaint.

A mysterious stowaway

Sergei Vladimirovich Ochegava was accused of A stowaway On a plane and pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on December 5. His trial is scheduled for December 26.

Authorities said he did not have a passport or visa to enter the United States. The man explained in English that he left his passport on the plane.

CBP officers searched his bag and found it “What appears to be a Russian ID and an Israeli ID.”Federal authorities said in court documents.

They said they also found a photo on his phone that partially showed a passport bearing his name, date of birth and passport number, but no photo.

Sergey Vladimirovich Ochegava “He provided false and misleading information about his travel to the United States, including initially telling CBP that he had left his US passport on the plane.”The complaint says.

The man told FBI agents that he had a doctorate in economics and marketing and that his last job was as an economist in Russia.

“Sergei Vladimirovich Ochegava claimed that he had not slept for three days and did not understand what was happening.”.

He told officers he might have a plane ticket to the United States, but he wasn’t sure.

He also said he did not remember how he got through security in Copenhagen and did not explain what he was doing in the Scandinavian city, according to the complaint.