The passenger has been charged with abusive sexual contact and faces up to two years in federal prison.
A 55-year-old passenger on an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Seattle was arrested for allegedly groping a 22-year-old woman seated next to him. Cherian Abraham, a resident of Dallas, was taken into custody following the incident—his third reported accusation of sexual assault on a plane.
Abraham, seated in a window seat during the four-and-a-half-hour flight, allegedly touched the woman, who was in the middle seat, according to a complaint. About two and a half hours into the flight, she said he “put his finger on [her] breast, overtop of her clothing, and continued to make a rubbing motion with his finger.” Initially, she thought the contact was accidental as he reached for his bag under the seat. However, a few minutes later, while she was watching a movie, he allegedly touched her again, this time moving his hand toward her breast, which she believed was an attempt to “locate her nipple.”
She confronted him, asking, “Why the f**k are you touching me?” Abraham did not respond, pulled his backpack onto his lap, and the woman reported the incident to a flight attendant, who moved her to another seat, according to the complaint.
Upon landing, authorities questioned Abraham, who initially denied touching the passenger. When informed that a witness corroborated her story, he claimed the contact might have been accidental while retrieving his bag. He also stated that he had never been accused of similar behavior before.
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However, the FBI had records of two previous incidents. In April 2024, another woman reported to American Airlines customer service that Abraham had harassed her on a flight, allegedly rubbing his arm against her side and touching her between the legs. Unable to discreetly alert a flight attendant, she remained next to him for the rest of the flight.
In October 2023, a woman told Minneapolis Airport police that Abraham, seated by the window, reached across the middle seat, touched her seatbelt, and then her left leg and thigh. She told him to stop, reported the alleged incident to a flight attendant, and moved to another seat. She did not file charges, and Abraham denied touching her.
Abraham has been charged with abusive sexual contact and faces up to two years in federal prison. The Independent was unable to reach him for comment, and his wife declined to speak. No attorney was listed for him in court records. American Airlines stated that it is cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation.
Related: The FBI Wants You to Report These Crimes if They Occur on Your Flight
Rising Incidents of In-Flight Misconduct
As of March 23, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported 346 incidents of unruly passenger behavior. Disruptive conduct on flights peaked in 2021 when the FAA received 5,973 complaints, leading to stricter enforcement of its zero-tolerance policy.
The FAA warns that unruly behavior can result in federal charges, travel restrictions, airline bans, and fines of up to $37,000. In 2021, the FAA issued $5 million in fines, which increased to $8.4 million the following year.
