A former airline ground-support worker from Jacksonville, Florida, has been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for running a years-long scheme that cost three major airlines more than $600,000. Chaculvin Hayes, 37, exploited his access to airline reservation systems to fraudulently upgrade tickets, alter bookings and issue travel vouchers, according to federal investigators.
The FBI Los Angeles
announced the sentencing in a post on X, stating that Hayes was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for participating in the scheme. The bureau's Los Angeles field office said the fraud caused more than $600,000 in losses to three major airlines. In its own release, the FBI described Hayes as a former airline employee who was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme to defraud three major airlines, though that reference to “yesterday” leaves the exact sentencing date unclear.
According to KTLA, the combined losses totaled approximately $602,886.18, and the scheme ran from January 2017 through December 2019. During that stretch, Hayes and others were employed by GAT Airline Ground Support, a contractor that provided ticketing and ground-support services at several airports, including Hollywood Burbank Airport, the station reported.
Inside Access Made the Fraud Possible
The station's report notes that the group had access to airline reservation systems for United and Delta and could also book American flights through separate airline agreements. That access allowed Hayes to upgrade tickets from economy to first class and change itineraries without charging the proper fees, per the same account. He also created unauthorized electronic travel coupons that could be redeemed for future flights.
Per the same KTLA report, Hayes used the alias “Neeve Andrews” to sell heavily discounted plane tickets that he had obtained through fraudulent reservation changes. Over the course of the scheme, he modified “hundreds” of Passenger Name Records and issued dozens of unauthorized vouchers, the article notes.
Guilty Plea and Restitution Order
Hayes pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud this past June, according to the station's report. U.S. District Judge John F. Walter ordered him to pay the full $602,886.18 in restitution, in addition to the 16-month prison sentence.
The available court-document material reviewed alongside this case references a change-of-plea proceeding but does not independently confirm the sentencing or restitution details beyond what has been reported. It also remains unclear from the public record how the losses were divided among the three airlines or who else may have taken part in the scheme.
