
Katsiaryna Shasholka (left) and Anthony Williams (right), aboard American Airlines flight AA2408 (via court filing).
A retired Black police officer has sued American Airlines, several crew members, and a fellow passenger for racially profiling him and falsely accusing him of human trafficking a woman who was actually his new wife.
Anthony Williams is an Arizona resident and retired police officer. His wife, Katsiaryna Shasholka, is a white woman and Russian national. On Sept. 13, 2022, the two boarded an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Miami, bound for their honeymoon. The couple says that while on the flight, another passenger, Peter Salles, falsely accused Williams of trafficking Shasholka and reported his concerns to the cabin crew.
Crew members Angel Rodriguez and Michael Wilfong did not question the couple or conduct any kind of investigation, but rather reported him for human trafficking to law enforcement, said the complaint.