AOG Technics Director Jailed for Fake CFM56 Engine Parts Scheme

The director of AOG Technics, Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, has been sentenced to 4 years and 8 months in prison after admitting to a widespread fraud scheme involving the sale of over 60,000 counterfeit aircraft engine parts. The London-based company distributed components for the CFM56 engine family with forged airworthiness certificates, prompting a global safety alert and extensive investigations by aviation authorities.

The case has exposed significant vulnerabilities in the aviation aftermarket supply chain, affecting engines that power thousands of older-generation Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family aircraft worldwide. According to the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the fraud generated over £7.7 million in revenue for AOG Technics and caused an estimated financial loss of over £39.3 million for airlines and maintenance organizations due to grounded aircraft and costly inspections.

Investigation and Regulatory Response

The scheme was first uncovered in June 2023 when technicians at a Portuguese maintenance provider identified suspicious paperwork accompanying parts supplied by AOG Technics. This led to a cascade of regulatory actions. On August 4, 2023, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a critical Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) Notification alerting the industry to parts distributed by the company with falsified Authorized Release Certificates (ARCs). An ARC, such as an EASA Form 1, is the essential document certifying a part's airworthiness.

Following EASA's lead, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued Safety Notice SN-2023/004 in August 2023. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) followed on September 21, 2023, with its own Unapproved Parts Notification, specifically warning about unapproved engine bushings for GE CF6 engines sold by AOG Technics. The SFO, a non-ministerial UK government department, led the criminal investigation, which culminated in the arrest and prosecution of Zamora Yrala.

In a statement regarding the SFO's investigation, Director Nick Ephgrave QPM said, “This investigation deals with very serious allegations of fraud involving the supply of aircraft parts, the consequences of which are potentially far reaching. The SFO is best placed to take this investigation forward vigorously and we are determined to establish the facts as swiftly as possible.”

Scope and Industry Impact

The CFM56, a family of high-bypass turbofan engines produced by CFM International—a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines—is the world's best-selling aircraft engine. The prevalence of this engine type meant the impact of the AOG Technics fraud was widespread. Court filings from CFM International revealed that as of October 2023, at least 145 engines had been identified with parts supplied by AOG Technics. Airlines and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities globally were forced to conduct exhaustive audits of their inventory and remove any suspect components from service.

CFM International has been an active party in addressing the crisis. In a statement, the engine manufacturer commented, “We applaud the court's ruling compelling AOG Technics to release documentation that will aid the industry in more rapidly identifying parts sold with fraudulent documentation so they can be promptly addressed. Safety is our first priority and we are taking aggressive legal action against AOG Technics.”

The case highlighted the risks associated with the aftermarket for used and surplus parts, where traceability can be less robust compared to direct channels from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The ease with which AOG Technics was able to forge paper-based certificates has intensified industry efforts to adopt more secure, digital airworthiness records.

Future Prevention and Supply Chain Integrity

In response to the scandal, a group of major industry players, including Airbus, Boeing, GE, and Safran, formed the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition. The coalition's objective is to strengthen defenses against the introduction of unapproved parts and prevent future fraud by improving traceability and verification processes across the global supply chain. The incident serves as a critical case study for regulators and industry stakeholders on the importance of vigilant oversight and the need for technological solutions to combat sophisticated fraud.

Details of the criminal case and sentencing are maintained by the UK Serious Fraud Office, which continues to play a central role in prosecuting complex financial crimes that threaten public safety.

Why This Matters

This case has served as a stark reminder of the critical importance of supply chain integrity in commercial aviation. The AOG Technics scandal exposed how a single fraudulent actor could compromise the safety of a widely used engine type, triggering a costly, global response from regulators, airlines, and manufacturers. The incident has accelerated the industry's push towards digital traceability and collaborative oversight to prevent such a systemic failure from happening again.

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