Mechanic 'Posed as General with Helicopter 🚁 to Impress Date' 👀

A car mechanic has been indicted on charges of posing as a three-star US army general in order to land a helicopter, officials say.


Christian Gerald Desgroux, 58, had the chartered helicopter land at an office in Cary, North Carolina - all apparently to impress a woman.

Tony Bell, a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, testified on Monday that Mr Desgroux had had a chartered helicopter land at a technology company office campus on 6 November 2017.

It wasn't Mr Desgroux's first time chartering a helicopter to impress a woman, according to the paper: he chartered a helicopter while wearing an army uniform to meet another woman last year.

He wore a military uniform at the time, despite having never served in the military.

Mr Desgroux told the helicopter pilot and company security guards that he had the requisite authorisation to land on the Sas Institute campus in Cary.

He even saluted the officers, Agent Bell said, and they saluted him back.

Mr Desgroux then said he was there to transport a female employee to a classified briefing on the orders of President Donald Trump.

Agent Bell said the woman had told him during an interview that she believed Mr Desgroux was trying to impress her and pursue a romantic relationship.

She said she had known Mr Desgroux for 20 years.

Once in the helicopter, the woman said they had done nothing except fly around the area for 30 minutes.

Judge Robert Numbers ordered Mr Desgroux detained on Monday after his hearing.

Per a statement by the US Attorney's Office, Mr Desgroux could see "maximum penalties of 3 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment".