Serial Stowaway Arrested Again After Sneaking Onto International Flight at US Airport
A woman on probation for stowing away on an international flight has reportedly been arrested again in a startling breach of airport security. Svetlana Dali, who was convicted in 2025 for flying to Paris without a passport or ticket, was taken into custody on Thursday at Milan’s Malpensa Airport, according to an official who spoke to The Associated Press.
Alleged Security Breach on Newark-to-Milan Flight
Dali allegedly snuck onto a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Milan, Italy, raising serious questions about aviation security protocols. FBI spokesperson Emily Molinari confirmed that the agency’s Newark office is "aware of the alleged stowaway" but did not immediately disclose additional information. The FBI is collaborating with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates Newark Liberty International Airport, and the Transportation Security Administration on this open investigation.
United Airlines, which operated the flight, stated it is "investigating this incident and working with the appropriate authorities." This incident occurred while Dali was still on one year of supervised release after being sentenced to time served last July.
Previous Conviction and Mental Health Concerns
Dali had been convicted in May 2025 on a stowaway charge for slipping past security and airline gate agents at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and sneaking onto a flight from New York to Paris. Surveillance video showed Dali, a Russian citizen with U.S. residency, blending in with a group of ticketed passengers to walk by Delta Air Lines staff unnoticed.
In court, Dali admitted she walked onto the plane without being asked for a boarding pass. Prosecutors say she hid in a bathroom for several hours during the flight and wasn’t discovered until the plane was nearing Paris. After being flown back to New York, she told an FBI agent she had to leave the U.S. because she believed people were poisoning her, as per court documents.
Legal and Probation Violations
Michael K. Schneider, Dali’s federal defender who was also handling her appeal of the prior charges, declined to comment on Thursday. He also declined to comment on whether Dali had undergone a mental health evaluation as required by the terms of her supervised release. "I can’t comment on what she’s done since her release. My office is handling the appeal, which is still pending," Schneider said.
Among the standard conditions of Dali’s probation was that she could not knowingly leave the federal judicial district where she was authorized to reside without first getting permission from the court or her probation officer. She was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and participate in treatment if deemed necessary.
History of Airport Security Evasions
Prosecutors have indicated that Dali evaded security measures at two other airports before the JFK incident, and they believe she may have stowed away on another flight. Two days before she sneaked onto the Paris flight, she was able to get through TSA checkpoints at Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Connecticut, by hiding among other passengers. Authorities said she unsuccessfully tried to board a plane and then left the airport.
In February 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents discovered Dali hiding in a bathroom at Miami International Airport. She was escorted out of the airport after agents couldn’t confirm her story that she had just arrived on an Air France flight. Prosecutors noted that federal agents did not make any findings that Dali had illegally traveled as a stowaway to Miami, but her statements to law enforcement after her arrest in Paris appeared to indicate that she had flown into Miami illegally.
This latest arrest underscores ongoing vulnerabilities in airport security systems and highlights the challenges authorities face in monitoring individuals with a history of such breaches, particularly those with potential mental health issues.
