Boss sold counterfeit plane parts that grounded hundreds of flights worldwide

A company director has pleaded guilty to supplying counterfeit plane parts, which went on to be used by airlines around the world.

Hundreds of flights had to be grounded due to Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala’s fraud while operating UK company AOG Technics came to light.

The fake plane parts he sold were for the engine used in the world’s most widely used passenger planes, the CFM56 engine, which powers Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft.

A safety alert was issued to customers who may have bought or installed the fake components, with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office investigating alongside authorities in Portugal.

Appearing at Southwark Crown Court today, former techno DJ Zamora Yrala, 37, admitted defrauding customers between January 2019 and December 2023, as well as falsifying documentation that related to the origin, status or condition of aircraft parts.

As well as airlines themselves, his company’s client list included maintenance providers and parts suppliers.

The issue came to light in 2023, when the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency all issued safety alerts.

Portuguese authorities are still investigating.

Emma Luxton, director of operations at the SFO, said: ‘This significant and audacious fraud threatened trust in the aviation industry and risked public safety on a global scale.

‘I’m extremely proud that we’ve acted swiftly to secure this conviction and wish to thank law enforcement partners in Portugal for their speedy and critical assistance.’

Zamora Yrala, 37, of Virginia Water in Surrey, was granted conditional bail at Southwark Crown Court to appear for his sentencing hearing at the same court on February 23.

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