A 24-year-old flight attendant from Brooklyn was arrested after she used her flight benefits to scam a senior citizen out of $25,000, which she spent on international flights, Apple products and UberEats orders.
Destiny Blake was arrested by US Customs and Border Protection at Miami International Airport last Friday evening on a warrant issued by Flagler County, Florida, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO).
Over the past year, Blake carried out an elaborate sweepstakes scam to steal approximately $25,000 from an elderly woman who lives in Palm Coast, Florida, according to FCSO.
In November 2025, the elderly woman received a call from Blake, who pretended to be a representative from Publishers Clearing House, police said.
Blake told the victim she had won one of their contests, but she had to mail a $500 gift card to Blake's address in Brooklyn, New York to start the process of retrieving her winnings.
Around this time, the victim lost access to her email address as the password had been changed. It was shortly replaced with a look-alike account which the victim herself never made, police said.
Between November 15 2025 and November 19 2025, the victim withdrew $14,000 from her bank accounts. Blake received $14,220 during this time.
On November 18, Blake used her free travel benefits to fly from New York to Daytona Beach, Florida, according to FCSO.
Destiny Blake was arrested after she scammed an elderly woman out of more than $25,000
Blake used her free travel benefits she gets as an American Airlines flight attendant to fly to the scam victim's home
Blake flew to Daytona Beach, Florida where an Uber took her to the victim's home the morning after she arrived. Blake left fifteen minutes later with access to the victim's credit card
She went to the victim's address and allegedly obtained credit card information. Fifteen minutes after arriving, an Uber picked her up and took her back to the Daytona airport, police said.
On her way home, Blake made purchases on the victim's credit card at airports in Daytona, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina, FSCO alleged.
Blake had listed herself as an authorized user on the victim's account, and made herself a separate Apple Card, Flagler County detectives found.
The victim's family later found a note inside the victim's house with instructions to call the card company and tell them Blake is her granddaughter and has permission to use her credit card, police alleged.
Between November 16 and December 11 2025, Blake spent $10,590.30 on the victim's credit card, according to police.
Among these purchases were $1,523.16 spent on Apple products, an eBay order which totaled to $1,740.91, and $1,300 spent across T-Mobile, Ugg, a hair salon in Brooklyn and dozens of Uber Eats orders.
'Her wings were clipped by our detectives and with the help of CPB she was arrested. Her next trip? Flagler County to be held accountable for her crimes,' Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement
In total, 88 charges were made on the victim's card, FCSO reported.
One of the charges was paid in Jamaican dollars, and was made in Kingston, Jamaica, two days after Blake flew there while working for American Airlines, police revealed.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement: 'Most flight attendants use their benefits to see the world - Blake used her’s to further a scam against a senior resident, live a lavish lifestyle using stolen bank cards and thinking she could get away with it.'
'Her wings were clipped by our detectives and with the help of CPB she was arrested. Her next trip? Flagler County to be held accountable for her crimes.'
