A UK court has sentenced a former aircraft parts broker to four years and eight months in prison for orchestrating a global aircraft engine parts fraud that placed public safety at risk and disrupted airlines worldwide.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) told Southwark Crown Court that Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala conducted a £39.3 million fraud from his home office in Surrey, UK while being director of AOG Technics, selling aircraft engine components accompanied by forged Authorised Release Certificates (ARCs) – documentation intended to guarantee airworthiness.

Between January 2019 and July 2023, AOG Technics sold more than 60,000 aircraft engine parts worth £6.9 million using falsified ARCs.

Investigators found that most of the parts were intended for use in the CFM56 engine.

According to the SFO, AOG Technics generated more than £7.7 million in revenue over four years, with approximately 90% derived from fraudulent activity.

The court heard that Zamora Yrala used his home computer to alter genuine documentation and create false shipment memos suggesting AOG Technics had sourced parts directly from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including Safran.

He also fabricated employees, with customers receiving emails and documentation signed by fictitious sales and quality managers to create the appearance of a legitimate and compliant operation.

The operation unravelled in 2023 after an airline contacted Safran to verify the authenticity of a supplied part. Safran confirmed the ARC was fraudulent and alerted authorities.

Subsequently, the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued safety alerts covering all AOG Technics’ parts.

Aircraft in the UK and overseas were grounded as operators undertook inspections and part replacements.

Airlines including American Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines were among those impacted, with total estimated losses exceeding £39.3 million.

Zamora Yrala pleaded guilty in December 2025 to fraudulent trading. The SFO said the case was concluded just over two years after it was first announced.

Emma Luxton, director of operations at the SFO, said: “Zamora’s operation risked public safety on a global scale in a way that defies belief.

“I’m proud that we have used our specialist skills and expertise to bring him to justice and this criminal operation to the ground as swiftly as possible.”

The case marks one of the most significant prosecutions in recent years involving fraudulent aircraft engine components and highlights the continued scrutiny facing the secondary parts trading market, particularly around documentation integrity and traceability.

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