NY Flight Attendant Charged With Smuggling Large Sums of Cash

Jackie was smuggling money on flights for Ordell, but he was balking at her 15 percent "management" fee.

Manager's get 10 percent, Ordell said. "No, that's an agent," Jackie retorted. "Manager gets 15 percent."

Oh, you saw that movie? Maybe Scott McKinney saw it, too, because he got busted for smuggling money on commercial airlines. Only, McKinney's not getting a management fee. He's probably getting five years.

"Unlicensed Money Transmitting"

Homeland Security and U.S. attorneys announced they had arrested and charged the New York man with "conspiracy to violate airport security requirements and operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business."

According to the government, McKinney smuggled hundreds of thousands of dollars using the "Known Crewmember" lane to bypass security. The federal complaint says the flight attendant conspired with others from California to New York.

Between July and November, McKinney flew from California to New York on several occasions to pick up packages with $50,000 or more in cash. He then flew back to California with the money.

During one trip, a Homeland Security agents approached McKinney while he was waiting in line. They searched his bag and found $54,000 in cash. In United States v. McKinney, other conspirators are mentioned but not named.

Ongoing Investigation

Joon H. Kim, the acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the district's narcotics unit is continuing to investigate.

McKinney, for his part, faces up to five years on two counts. Like "Jackie Brown," there will probably not be a sequel.

Quentin Tarantino, writer and director of the movie, has never made a sequel to any of his films.

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