Woman Woke Up to Man Sexually Assaulting Her on Flight. A Jury Just Convicted Him By Bethany Brown

A man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting another passenger while onboard a flight nearly two years ago.

A federal jury convicted Varun Arora, 38, on charges of abusive sexual contact and assault on Thursday, Jan. 29, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia.

The conviction stems from an Aug. 29, 2024 incident during final approach on a flight from Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, per the release.

Citing court records and trial evidence, the U.S. Attorney’s office said a passenger woke up to Arora sexually groping her. 

He was wearing a sleep mask and pretended to be asleep “as he continued to place his hand on the victim despite her repeatedly removing his hand,” the release states.

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Arora was sitting in an aisle seat, while the victim was asleep in the center seat next to him, according to an affidavit filed in court by F.B.I. Special Agent Marc Esposito.

Per the affidavit, the woman tried to position herself away from Arora after she first felt him touching her genital area and removed his hand. He then touched her backside and began rubbing her buttocks.

She took a photo of him as she was leaving the plane, per the affidavit, and the next day, reported the incident to American Airlines.

The FBI investigated the case and confirmed that the victim and suspect were seated next to each other on the flight — in part by comparing the photo she took of him to the one on Arora’s driver’s license.

Arora was arrested in August of 2025 and indicted that October.

Arora — who is an Indian national and in the U.S. “without lawful status,” per the U.S. Attorney’s Office — faces up to two years in prison.

His sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, May 7.