Georgiy Seryogin, 47, was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old female passenger on a United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Dulles International Airport in July 2018. The victim was seated between Seryogin and another female passenger, who had a cat in a carrier on her lap. The cat owner had got up to use the toilet and had left the cat on her seat. Seryogin then lifted the armrest and leant across the victim to pet the cat, his blanket partially covering one of the victim’s legs. Ten to fifteen minutes later he began to rub her knee, touch her inner thigh and her genitals. He then attempted to pull her legs apart. She pushed his hand away and was moved to another seat after she informed the flight attendants of the assault. Seryogin claimed that he was asleep and did not recall touching the victim.