Passenger allegedly boards flight with fake boarding pass, forcing plane back to gate
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In Houston, a man is now facing serious legal consequences after allegedly using a fake boarding pass to board a United Airlines flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The flight was compelled to return to the gate following the discovery, as detailed in court documents accessed by our publication.

Abdulrahman Oluwatumike Oriyomi, 25, has been charged with disrupting the operations of a critical infrastructure facility. The charges stem from an incident on May 18, according to a criminal complaint filed in Harris County.

Prosecutors have requested a $25,000 bond, citing the substantial disruption caused by the alleged actions. The incident reportedly delayed a fully booked flight for about three hours, mobilizing responses from several agencies, including the Houston Police Department, the FBI, Houston Airports, and the Transportation Security Administration.

“The defendant caused a three-hour delay for a full flight,” prosecutors noted in a motion reviewed by our newsroom.

Meanwhile, travelers were seen queuing at a TSA checkpoint in George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Photo by Lekan Oyekanmi/AP)

According to the complaint, Oriyomi entered Bush Airport and passed through a TSA checkpoint before attempting to board a flight bound for Los Angeles.

Investigators allege Oriyomi first attempted to scan a boarding pass at one gate but was unsuccessful. He then walked through the airport before approaching another gate where United employees were checking passengers’ boarding passes.

The complaint alleges Oriyomi waited until airline employees were distracted before proceeding down the jetway and boarding United Flight 469.

United Airlines present their boarding passes to a gate agent as they board their plane at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

A passenger told investigators Oriyomi initially sat next to her before moving around the aircraft. The witness later realized the seat had already been assigned to another passenger, according to the complaint.

The aircraft had already begun taxiing away from the gate when flight attendants were notified that someone was inside a restroom on board.

Flight attendants eventually made contact with Oriyomi and determined he did not have an assigned seat on the flight. A flight attendant later checked the passenger manifest and allegedly discovered no authorized passenger was listed under the name Oriyomi had provided.

The plane returned to the gate, prompting a response from multiple law enforcement and security agencies.

Investigators later reviewed a boarding pass image recovered from Oriyomi’s phone and determined it appeared fraudulent because key information and a QR code were missing, the complaint states. A Bush Airport representative concluded the document was fake, according to the filing.

Investigators determined Oriyomi could not have obtained a valid boarding pass without first paying for his reservation, according to court records reviewed by News Agency.

United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner taking off with landing gear extended against clear blue sky

A United Airlines aircraft is seen in flight. Court documents allege a Houston man boarded a United flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport using a fraudulent boarding pass. (iStock)

Prosecutors also requested several bond conditions, according to court records reviewed by News Agency, including surrendering any passports or travel documents, avoiding Bush Intercontinental Airport and other airports, refraining from possessing firearms and submitting to electronic monitoring if ordered by the court.

It was not immediately clear whether all requested bond conditions were ultimately imposed.

Court records reviewed by News Agency did not immediately identify an attorney representing Oriyomi.

United Airlines, Houston Airports and the Transportation Security Administration did not immediately respond to News Agency’s requests for comment.

The case is pending in Harris County’s 180th District Court.

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