The director of aircraft parts broker AOG Technics was sentenced in London on Monday after pleading guilty to fraud in the sale of engine components accompanied by falsified documentation. Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, who previously worked as a techno DJ, received a prison sentence of four years and eight months following an investigation into the distribution of parts used in commercial aviation.
Authorities said the company supplied components for the CFM56 engine, which powers Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft commonly operated by airlines in the United States and internationally. Investigators determined that between 2019 and 2023, AOG Technics sold tens of thousands of engine-related items, including hardware and other components, to airlines, maintenance organizations and suppliers worldwide, the U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office said.
The case came to light after questions were raised about the authenticity of aircraft parts and their documentation, prompting safety alerts from regulators in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union and leading to inspections and aircraft groundings, according to the SFO. Airlines including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Ethiopian Airlines and Ryanair were among those affected, with losses reported across the industry, The Guardian reported.
Emma Luxton, director of operations at the Serious Fraud Office, said the case involved conduct that “risked public safety on a global scale.”
In remarks reported by the Financial Times, Justice Picken said, “Your offending involved a more or less complete undermining of a regulatory framework designed to safeguard the millions of people who fly every day of the year.”
Zamora Yrala pleaded guilty ahead of trial to operating the company for a fraudulent purpose, the U.K. Serious Fraud Office said.
