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London Executive Sentenced for Global Fake Aircraft Parts Scheme
London – The former head of an airline parts firm was sentenced to nearly five years in prison Monday for orchestrating a massive fraud involving tens of thousands of counterfeit aircraft engine components. The illicit scheme, which generated global safety concerns and briefly grounded planes, led to a four-year and eight-month sentence for Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, 38.
Zamora Yrala pleaded guilty in December to fraudulent trading, admitting that he falsified crucial documentation regarding the origin and condition of engine parts sold by his company, AOG Technics, between 2019 and 2023.
Prosecutors revealed that over 60,000 suspect parts infiltrated the global aviation supply chain due to Zamora Yrala’s actions. Many of these components were destined for CFM56 engines, commonly found in Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The discovery of these fraudulent parts in 2023 resulted in temporary flight groundings and intensified calls for stricter industry oversight.
Judge Simon Picken condemned Zamora Yrala’s conduct, stating it represented a “more or less complete undermining of a regulatory framework designed to safeguard the millions of people who fly every day.”
According to prosecutors, AOG Technics sold falsified parts amounting to approximately $9.3 million, representing about 90% of the company’s total revenue. The broader aviation industry incurred an estimated $53 million in losses as a direct consequence of the fraud.
American Airlines alone reportedly suffered around $31 million in losses, attributable to engine repairs, replacement leasing, and aircraft downtime. Furthermore, CFM International’s co-owners, GE Aerospace and Safran, experienced losses of approximately $4 million and $780,000, respectively, alongside significant reputational damage.
In addition to his prison sentence, Zamora Yrala has been barred from serving as a company director for eight years and faces confiscation proceedings aimed at compensating the affected companies.
His attorney informed the court that Zamora Yrala had “cut corners in order that he could trade more easily” and did not fully comprehend the severe ramifications of his actions.