Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Dior Jay-Jarrett has been charged with wire fraud in connection to a scheme involving falsified military records. The complaint alleges that Jay-Jarrett defrauded an airline of nearly $70,000 by claiming to be on military leave after his retirement from the U.S. Marine Corps.
Jay-Jarrett was arrested and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. "As alleged," said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky, "Jay-Jarrett—a federal law enforcement officer who currently serves as a Federal Air Marshal for the Department of Homeland Security—racked up thousands of dollars in free or discounted flights while pretending to be deployed on military missions around the world."
The allegations detail that Jay-Jarrett served in the Marine Corps until November 2022 but continued to claim active-duty status with falsified documents submitted to his employer, a major airline referred to as Airline-1. This allowed him access to travel benefits including unlimited free flights.
From November 2021 through September 2024, he reportedly took at least 130 flights valued at nearly $70,000. Destinations included Los Angeles, London, and various international locations such as Antigua and Aruba.
In September 2024, during an interview with law enforcement officials, Jay-Jarrett admitted retiring from the Marine Corps without notifying Airline-1 and submitting false military orders claiming ongoing leave.
Jay-Jarrett faces one count of wire fraud which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted. However, this is subject to judicial discretion upon sentencing.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office and Transportation Security Administration – Investigations. The case is managed by the General Crimes Unit with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan T. Nees leading prosecution efforts.
It should be noted that charges are accusations and Jay-Jarrett is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
