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Toronto Man Accused of Posing as Pilot for Hundreds of Free Flights Detained After Hawaii Arraignment

Prosecutors say he exploited staff‑travel systems with a fake employee ID, at times requesting cockpit jump‑seat access.

Overview

  • Dallas Pokornik, 33, was extradited from Panama, pleaded not guilty in federal court in Honolulu, and was ordered held as a flight risk.
  • The indictment charges two counts of wire fraud tied to tickets issued in Hawaii for flights taken in August and October 2024.
  • Prosecutors allege a four‑year scheme in which he used a fictitious airline employee badge to obtain hundreds of no‑cost trips on three U.S. carriers.
  • Court records say he sometimes asked to sit in the cockpit jump seat despite lacking an airman’s certificate, with no public record confirming whether any such requests were granted.
  • Filings describe prior employment as a flight attendant for a Toronto‑based carrier from 2017 to 2019, though Air Canada says it has no record of him; HSI is leading the investigation with U.S. Marshals’ assistance, and a conviction could carry up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.