An American Airlines flight attendant was arrested at Miami International Airport after investigators accused her of helping scam a 75-year-old Palm Coast woman out of approximately $25,310.
Destiny Blake, 24, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested late Friday after arriving on an international flight, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. She was wanted on a warrant issued following an investigation into an alleged sweepstakes scam and fraudulent credit card charges.
Blake faces three charges: organized scheme to defraud more than $20,000 from a person aged 65 or older, fraudulent use of personal identification information belonging to a person aged 60 or older, and grand theft of more than $20,000.
She was taken to the Miami-Dade County jail and later released on a $30,000 bond. The allegations have not yet been proven in court.
How the alleged scam began
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the scheme started in November 2025 when someone called the victim and claimed to represent Publishers Clearing House.
The caller allegedly told the woman she had won a prize. To collect her winnings, she was instructed to mail a $500 gift card to Blake at a Brooklyn address.
The woman sent it.
Around the same time, she lost access to her email account. Investigators said the password had been changed and the account altered to resemble an email address she had never created.
Between November 15 and November 19, the victim withdrew more than $14,000 from her bank account. Detectives determined that Blake received $14,220 through cash and Zelle payments.
The flight attendant flew to the victim’s home
The sheriff’s office said Blake used her American Airlines travel benefits to fly standby from New York to Daytona Beach on November 18, 2025.
She then took an Uber to a hotel on State Road 100 in Palm Coast.
The next morning, an Uber dropped Blake off at the victim’s home shortly before 11 a.m. About 15 minutes later, another Uber picked her up and drove her back to the Daytona Beach airport.
Before she flew home, purchases were made using the victim’s credit card at the Daytona Beach and Charlotte airports, according to investigators.
Detectives also found that Blake had received her own Apple Card as an authorized user on the victim’s account.
A family member later discovered a note in the victim’s home instructing her to contact the card company and claim that Blake was her granddaughter and had permission to use the account.
Investigators traced thousands of dollars in charges
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said investigators identified 88 credit card charges totaling $10,590.30 between November 16 and December 11, 2025.
The purchases allegedly included a $1,740.91 eBay order delivered to Blake’s Brooklyn address and $1,523.16 in Apple products.
More than $1,300 was also spent at businesses including T-Mobile, Ugg and a Brooklyn hair salon. Investigators identified dozens of Uber rides and Uber Eats orders.
One Uber ride was charged in Jamaican dollars in Kingston, Jamaica, two days after Blake traveled there while working for American Airlines, the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives said the online orders were placed using Blake’s own name, email address and phone number. They also obtained surveillance footage showing Blake using the victim’s credit card at a supermarket in Queens, New York. Phone location records placed Blake’s phone near stores on the dates of some transactions.
The sheriff’s office estimated the victim’s total loss at approximately $25,310.
What the sheriff said about the arrest
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly criticized the alleged misuse of employee travel benefits.
“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,” Staly said.
He added: “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.”
The sheriff’s office said the arrest warrant was obtained on October 13, 2026. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Blake at Miami International Airport when she returned from an international flight late Friday.
Which American Airlines rule could she have violated?
American Airlines has a published flight-attendant Attendance & Performance Policy that sets out expectations for professional conduct. The January 2024 document states:
“Flight attendants are expected to comply with the American Airlines Rules of Conduct and the Standards of Business Conduct.”
It also says that prohibited conduct may result in “discipline up to and including termination.”
The policy adds that unprofessional conduct is handled according to the seriousness of the offense. In some cases, even a first incident can be serious enough to warrant termination.
If the allegations are substantiated, the alleged conduct could raise serious concerns under the airline’s professional-conduct and business-conduct standards. However, the public policy does not identify this particular case or establish that Blake has been found to have violated it.
American Airlines’ employee travel guide also warns that violating its travel rules or engaging in misconduct can lead to disciplinary action, including suspension, termination, or restrictions on travel privileges.
What people are saying
The case has prompted discussion on Facebook about accountability, protecting older adults and whether the victim will recover her money.
One commenter wrote: “If she had any retirement or 401k or anything from her job as a flight attendant that should be withdrawn and given to the victim ASAP!”
Another said: “I'd be concerned about the victim's ability to handle her own affairs after learning about this scam. I hope her family is making sure she's okay.”
Others questioned how authorities would ensure Blake returns to Florida for court proceedings after her release on bond.
One commenter highlighted the importance of community support for older adults: “Not every older person has relatives or friends looking out for them. It is a reason the join a local older adult center where there are professionals who provide these supportive services.”
Another urged people to check in on older relatives: “Check on yalls old people if you dont understand how this can happen. Its happens when no one is checking.. the old folks don't understand how things work and are manipulated.”
The sheriff’s office is encouraging families to help older relatives secure their phones, email accounts, computers and banking information.
Anyone who believes they were targeted in a similar scam or had financial dealings with Blake is asked to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911.
Suspected financial exploitation of an older adult can also be reported to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or the U.S. Department of Justice National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.
