Natalya Scudder, a star of Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean, has revealed she was detained for “30 to 40” hours in a US detention centre before being deported, describing the conditions as “disgusting”.
Detained at LAX
The Australian native – who worked as a stewardess on the show – said she was pulled from the main waiting area after landing at Los Angeles International Airport and taken to a “detention holding centre” behind the scenes. In an interview with TMZ, she recalled the facility: “Dirty blankets on the floor, there’s stains all up the wall. There’s a shower but there’s no towels.”
When she asked how long she would be held, staff told her: “You’re going to be here from one to five days.” She was later informed that she had “taken photos on American soil” in 2024 which “generated money”, meaning she had illegally worked on the wrong visa.
Phone Search and Deportation
Officers went through her entire phone history, including deleted items, in what she called an “embarrassing” search. “You get taken to a detention centre, where I was the only girl. They give you no information, they just tell you you’re detained,” she said. She was mocked after asking for a blanket, with officers telling her it “wasn’t the Beverly Hills Hotel”.
She described the room: “There’s a shower, there’s no towels, there’s a shared loofah.” Staff instructed her to “dry yourself with your dirty clothes, and put them back on”.
Anxiety Attack and Return Flight
After suffering an “anxiety attack”, she was shaken awake at 3am for her “official interview”, during which she alleged officers had “already decided” to deport her. She then had to board a 17-hour flight back to Australia.
Scudder, who appeared on seasons seven and eight of the spin-off between 2022 and 2023, warned others to ensure they are on the correct visa before travelling to the US.
