Charges dropped against TV reality crew accused of airport bomb scare
A reality TV crew accused of attempting to transport a fake bomb through Newark Airport have had all charges dismissed.
Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino said the nine person TV cast and crew will not be prosecuted as charges would be extremely difficult to prove.
TSA screeners discovered what they said was PVC pipes, a motor and wires inside a carry-on bag of a cast member of the CNBC reality show ‘Staten Island Hustle.’
It had the ‘indicators of an improvised explosive device,’ the TSA said at the time.
The TV production company disputed this and said it was a new prototype for shrinkable baggage using a vacuum device.
"It was clear that the intent was to see if the bag comported with TSA regulations, not to commit a criminal offense. This is not a case of ‘Gotcha’ where they were trying to sneak contraband past the TSA. They were actually hoping to show the invention was TSA-compliant so that it could be marketed," Laurino said.
However Laurino said the TSA officers made the right call at the time based on their findings.
"They were confronted with a bag that contained PVC piping, wiring and a motor and a passenger who said he was not taking the flight for which he had just checked a bag. They were justifiably concerned particularly in light of this global threat environment."
The ‘Staten Island Hustle’ show is about a group of street smart investors on the lookout for unusual products and new inventions.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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