Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Well, Duh: Nigerian Boarding Pass Scammer Considered 'Flight Risk'

boarding-pass.jpg
Photo by debaird™ via Flickr

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

It should come as absolutely no surprise that Olajide Oluwaseun Noibi, the Nigerian man who flew from New York to Los Angeles last week on a stolen boarding pass with only a college ID, has been denied bail and is considered a flight risk.

24-year-old Noibi was in court today before Judge Michael Wilner, who agreed with prosecutors that the flight-hopping man of dubious identity isn't really a prime candidate to get sprung from prison yet. A prosecutor suggested that Noibi might decide to return to Nigeria, should he be bailed out, according to L.A. Now.

Noibi raised the feds' interest when he flew on a Virgin America flight from JFK airport to LAX on a boarding pass he allegedly swiped from the back pocket of its true owner the day prior to his flight. Flight attendants made note of the extra passenger, did not find him listed on the manifest, and noticed the boarding pass was a day old and in another person's name. However, it wasn't until this week, when Noibi tried to pull a similar stunt leaving LAX on Delta, that he was taken into custody.

He is due back in court July 18.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today