Russian Man Charged as Stowaway After Flying to Los Angeles Without Passport

A Russian man who apparently flew from Europe to California without a passport is now facing a federal charge as a stowaway.

When Mr. Ochigava arrived at immigration, he allegedly told a Customs and Border Protection officer that he left his passport on the plane, but no passport was found.

A search of his bags found “Russian identification cards and an Israeli identification card,” as well as “a partial photograph of a passport.”

Additionally, Los Angeles immigration officers found that Mr. Ochigava was not listed as a passenger on the flight’s manifest—though, according to the complaint, most of the plane’s flight crew noticed him, he asked for two meals, and kept changing his seat throughout the flight.

“When [Ochigava] presented himself for entry at the [Customs and Border Protections] checkpoint at LAX, officers discovered that [Ochigava] was not a listed passenger on the flight manifest…or any other incoming international flight. [Ochigava] was unable to produce a passport or a visa to enter the United States,” the complaint states.