Hubbard Bell, a former Mesa Airlines employee, has pleaded guilty of manufacturing counterfeit Mesa employee identification badges that were then used to obtain free flights for himself and others on another airline.
Bell, age 32, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of the federal criminal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to the Department of Justice, Bell worked at Mesa Airlines, a Phoenix-based regional airline, from June 2015 until October 2015. While a Mesa employee, Bell was provided access to free tickets as a job benefit. Mesa employees and their designated beneficiaries were permitted to use this benefit only while employed by Mesa Airlines.
Bell admitted in his plea agreement, that from February 2016 to November 2017, after Mesa terminated his employment, he conspired with others to sell the stolen and unauthorized information of Mesa employees, including their names, dates of hire, and employee identification numbers that were needed to book free flights on Spirit Airlines through Spirit’s web portal for themselves and others.
For example, on June 2, 2016, Bell received via email confidential Mesa employee information for dozens of Mesa Airlines workers based in Dallas and Houston.
For himself, Bell fraudulently obtained 34 free airline tickets, which allowed him to fly interstate, including into and out of Los Angeles International Airport, despite the fact Mesa Airlines no longer employed him. Bell also admitted he and his co-conspirators manufactured and sold fraudulent Mesa employee identification cards for use by the fraudulent travelers.