NEWARK, NJ (PIX 11)—
Instead of snooping for terror threats, according to Federal prosecutors, last year a TSA Supervisor at Newark Airport was snooping around passengers' bags looking for money to steal. Today he pleaded guilty.The US Attorney's office says Newark International Airport TSA Supervisor Joe Arato entered the guilty plea, admitting to accepting bribes and kickbacks from a co-worker who stole money regularly from passengers as they passed through security screenings stations.
They stole up to $700 a day at Newark Airport, according to prosecutors, who say their principal targets were non-English speaking women of Indian descent returning to India.
Authorities began investigating after a rash of passenger complaints.
Attorney and aviation security expert Justin Green told PIX 11 News Tuesday, "The screeners are truly the last line of defense and if a screener, and in this case, potentially a supervisor, isn't doing their job and instead is spending their time stealing, the integrity of the whole system is called into question."
Prosecutors say all the thieving went on at Newark's Terminal B. That's where the feds say last year 41-year-old Arato permitted a co-worker to steal between ten and thirty thousand dollars in cash from travelers. That co-worker would then 'kick back' a portion of the stolen money to Arato according to prosecutors.
Other problems at Newark lately reportedly include a dead dog that wasn't properly screened, a knife that got through a checkpoint, and two passengers who walked off even after problems with full body scans.
The charge to which Arato pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Arato's sentencing is scheduled for May 24, 2011.
