By Staff Reporter
July 11, 2025
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Svetlana Dali, a 57-year-old Russian citizen and U.S. permanent resident, was sentenced on July 10, 2025, to time served and one year of supervised release after being convicted of stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris on November 26, 2024. The Brooklyn federal court ruling, delivered by Judge Ann Donnelly, followed Dali’s guilty verdict in May 2025 on a federal stowaway charge. Despite the lenient sentence, Dali remains in custody, facing extradition to Connecticut for additional charges related to breaching airport security.
A Desperate Act and a Complex Defense
Dali’s case drew attention due to her extraordinary claim that she boarded Delta Flight 264 from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport without a ticket or passport to escape poisoning by the U.S. military. “My actions were directed toward only one purpose: to save my life,” Dali told the court through a Russian interpreter, delivering a 30-minute statement alleging exposure to toxic chemicals. Judge Donnelly acknowledged Dali’s “difficult life” but emphasized the need for deterrence, stating, “When someone gets onto a plane without a seat, without a ticket, it’s a danger.”
Dali admitted during her trial to bypassing multiple security checkpoints, hiding in a terminal bathroom to avoid detection, and walking onto the plane without a boarding pass. When questioned by a flight attendant, she provided fake names and no identification, leading to her placement in a crew seat during landing. Her actions, described as a “serious offense” by prosecutors, raised alarms about airport security vulnerabilities. After her return to the U.S. on December 4, 2024, following disruptive behavior that delayed earlier deportations, Dali allegedly cut off her ankle monitor and attempted to cross into Canada via Buffalo’s Peace Bridge, further complicating her case.
Ongoing Legal Challenges and Security Concerns
Despite the time-served sentence, covering roughly seven months in a Brooklyn federal lockup, Dali faces extradition to Connecticut for breaching security at Bradley International Airport two days before the Paris flight. Connecticut State Police have an active warrant, with potential felony charges carrying up to five years in prison if convicted. This follows a pattern of behavior, including a February 2024 incident where Dali was found hiding in a Miami International Airport bathroom, falsely claiming to have arrived on an Air France flight.
Judge Donnelly’s decision to impose a year of supervised release, over defense objections, aims to ensure Dali receives mental health treatment, with the judge urging her to “work with all the people who are trying to help you.” The case has sparked discussions on X, with users like @CourthouseNews noting Dali’s poisoning claims and @YahooNews highlighting the sentencing outcome, reflecting public interest in the security and mental health aspects of the case.
Implications for Airport Security
Dali’s ability to board an international flight without documentation underscores persistent gaps in airport security protocols. Prosecutors warned that “publicized incidents encourage copycat behavior,” threatening air travel safety. The incident has prompted calls for enhanced vigilance, with the Transportation Security Administration and Delta Air Lines reviewing procedures. Dali’s deportation to Russia is expected to follow the resolution of her Connecticut case and supervised release, per immigration law.