JetBlue employees in Queens arrested
By Stephen Stirling
05/10/2007


Two JetBlue employees and a city Correction officer faced with grand larceny and identity theft charges last week after they were arrested for allegedly using their customer service positions to steal credit card information from Jet Blue passengers, the Queens district attorney said.


JetBlue employees Georgia Malamis, 30, of 136-06 58th Rd. in College Point and Monique Robles, 25, of Elmont, L.I., used credit cards inadvertently left by customers at service desks at Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica to make more than 60 small purchases, the Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. In addition, Malamis and Robles distributed them to others, according to the DA.

Correction Officer Jacqueline Miranda, 26, of Whitestone, was also arrested after she used a stolen credit card given to her by one of the two JetBlue workers, Brown said.

Officials at JetBlue did not immediately return calls for comment.

Brown said the defendants used the stolen cards to make a number of purchases under $150.

"The defendants allegedly tried to fly under the radar, making relatively small but illegal and unauthorized, purchases at gas stations, supermarkets and discount department stores throughout the city," Brown said. "By staying within the threshold of normal spending, none of their alleged purchases raised an eyebrow or alarm with store owners."

Brown said the investigation was conducted alongside the Manhattan district attorney's office and each defendant is charged in both Manhattan and Queens. If convicted, Malamis, Robles and Miranda each face up to seven years in prison, Brown said.

The three defendants were originally charged in Manhattan and released on their own recognizance, but immediately were rearrested to face similar charges in Queens.

The DA said investigators were able to trace purchases made by the defendants after the cards were reported missing. The defendants made more than five dozen purchases collectively, dating back to October, and were not caught by store clerks despite the fact that the cards allegedly used were owned by men and the defendants are women, he said.

Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.