Counterfeit aircraft parts sold by ex‑DJ led to global safety alerts

A former DJ has been jailed after admitting he sold nearly £7m of counterfeit aircraft engine parts using forged authenticity certificates, prompting international safety alerts and aircraft groundings in August 2023; he was sentenced to four years and eight months and will face proceeds of crime proceedings later this year.

Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, who ran AOG Technics from his home, was jailed after admitting he forged tens of thousands of authenticity certificates for aircraft engine components between 2019 and 2023. The Serious Fraud Office reported the falsified documents were used to sell almost £7 million of parts and prompted safety alerts from aviation authorities in August 2023 that led to aircraft groundings. The court heard the forged authorised release certificates impersonated manufacturers and regulators to give the parts an appearance of legitimacy. He was sentenced to four years and eight months, disqualified from acting as a company director for eight years, and will face proceeds of crime proceedings later this year. Key facts: - Zamora Yrala admitted forging over 60,000 authenticity certificates and selling nearly £7 million of parts between 2019 and 2023. - The Serious Fraud Office said the falsified documentation prompted international safety notices in August 2023 and led to aircraft being grounded. - The defendant was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to four years and eight months and was banned from directing companies for eight years. - Proceeds of crime proceedings are due later this year and a Portuguese investigation into others allegedly involved is ongoing. Summary: Officials described the scheme as an undermining of regulatory safeguards that led to international safety alerts and operational disruption for airlines. The convicted individual has been imprisoned and will face financial recovery proceedings, while overseas investigations continue.