Tuesday, February 24, 2026-A former techno DJ has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison in the United Kingdom after admitting he orchestrated a large‑scale fraud selling counterfeit aircraft engine parts that were installed in jets around the world.
Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, 38, ran his operation from his home garage in Surrey under the company AOG Technics, selling hundreds of thousands of components — including bolts, washers and blades — between 2019 and 2023 with forged documentation claiming they were certified and airworthy. His actions eventually triggered aviation safety alerts and aircraft groundings as authorities investigated the extent of the fraud.
The scam centred on parts intended for the widely used CFM56 engine that powers both Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft models. Zamora forged more than 60,000 authenticity certificates and even created fake employee identities to make his business appear legitimate, according to prosecutors. Airlines and aviation firms across Europe, North America and beyond — including major carriers — unwittingly purchased these parts, causing at least £39 million ($50 million+) in losses when the fraud was uncovered and unsafe components were removed from service.
The deception came to light after a bolt supplied by AOG Technics failed to fit a plane engine, prompting a wider investigation. Aviation safety authorities in the UK, US, and EU issued alerts in August 2023, leading to worldwide reviews of similar components. The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) described Zamora’s conduct as putting public safety at risk on a global scale. In addition to his prison sentence, he has been disqualified from serving as a company director for eight years and faces further proceedings over confiscation of ill‑gotten gains.
0 Comments