Russian-Israeli Man Convicted of Being a Stowaway on US Flight

Sergey Ochigava faces up to five years in federal prison after boarding a flight without a ticket, passport, or visa.

Sergey Ochigava, a 46-year-old Russian-Israeli dual national, has been found guilty of being a stowaway on a flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles.
Ochigava boarded the flight without a ticket, passport, or visa, and was not listed on the passenger list.
He was noticed by the flight crew for moving between multiple unassigned seats and asking for two meals during each meal service.
Upon landing, Ochigava was unable to provide a passport or visa to Customs and Border Protection officers, and gave false information about his travel.
He has been in federal custody since his arrest in November 2023 and faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.