Paris stowaway released on bond

BROOKLYN (CN) — Despite concerns that she may try to flee the country, the woman accused of sneaking onto a Delta Air Lines flight from New York City to Paris was released on a recognizance bond Friday afternoon.

Svetlana Dali, 57, was charged with knowingly and intentionally stowing away on an airplane Thursday after law enforcement officials discovered she evaded security checkpoints and snuck onto an international flight in November without a boarding pass or passport.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Marutollo decided to release her on the condition she comply with GPS monitoring and abide by a curfew.

In the meantime, Dali will stay with a friend from church in Philadelphia and is not allowed to leave the city or the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She will also have to undergo evaluation and treatment for mental health issues, as needed.

While federal prosecutors agreed this is a “bailable” case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Theodora said she was concerned about Dali’s lack of community ties, permanent residence and employment.

“This is a serious offense,” Theodora said.

She added that Dali’s ability to evade stringent security measures at the airport “has very significant national security concerns.”

Marutollo seemed inclined to agree, and added he was worried that she didn’t have a suretor or a third-party custodian to ensure she complied with the court’s conditions.

“If you ask us for a third-party custodian, you’re going to keep our client in jail,” Michael Schneider, Dali’s attorney, said.

Schneider, an attorney with the Brooklyn Federal Defenders, added that the proposed conditions would be enough to make sure she continues to attend future court proceedings.

“It’s not as if you can sneak onto a flight every day,” Schneider said.

While Schneider repeatedly reminded the court that Dali doesn’t have any prior criminal convictions, Theodora claimed Dali admitted to multiple previous attempts at sneaking onto a flight.

She added that there is a law enforcement report from February 2024 detailing Dali attempting to enter a secure area at the Miami International Airport to get to plane departures.

Prosecutors say Dali was able to successfully board the Paris flight in November by accessing a security checkpoint line reserved for airline employees. When the lane merged with the public, they say she blended in with a group of people getting their IDs checked before slipping through.

Dali was discovered as a stowaway while the flight was midair and was taken into custody when she landed in Paris.

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