Finance
UK aircraft parts company director jailed for fraud which caused millions in losses
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 23, 2026
3 min readLast updated: February 23, 2026
Quick Summary
London prosecutors say AOG Technics used forged documents to sell tens of thousands of CFM56 engine parts, triggering 2023 safety checks and brief groundings. Losses exceed £39m for airlines and engine makers; sentencing is due today.
By Sam Tobin
LONDON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The director of a London-based airline parts company who used forged documents to sell tens of thousands of engine parts, causing large losses for aviation industry giants, was sentenced on Monday to four years and eight months' imprisonment.
Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, 38, has admitted defrauding customers and potential customers of AOG Technics by falsifying documents about the source and condition of engine parts from January 2019 to December 2023.
The 2023 discovery of forged certificates, many relating to parts for CFM56 engines which power some Airbus and Boeing jets, led to planes being briefly grounded worldwide over safety fears.
Zamora Yrala, 38, pleaded guilty in December to fraudulent trading, a charge which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.
On Monday, he sat in the dock at London's Southwark Crown Court as prosecutor Faras Baloch said his offences resulted in more than 60,000 suspect parts entering the global aviation supply chain.
Judge Simon Picken said Zamora Yrala's actions constituted a "more or less complete undermining" of the rules and regulations designed to ensure passenger flights are safe.
COMPANIES SUFFERED MILLIONS IN LOSSES
AOG Technics sold parts with falsified documents for a total of about 6.9 million pounds ($9.3 million), representing 90% of the company's revenue, Baloch added.
The fraud caused around 39.3 million pounds in losses, including about 23 million pounds suffered by American Airlines – which obtained parts from an AOG Technics customer – for the cost of repairing affected engines, leasing replacements and for aircraft being out of use, Baloch said.
American Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside U.S. office hours.
Jet engine maker CFM International's co-owners GE Aerospace and Safran suffered financial losses of around 3 million pounds and 580,000 pounds respectively, as well as "reputational damage", Baloch added.
GE Aerospace and Safran did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
2023 DISCOVERY PROMPTED WORLDWIDE HUNT
Zamora Yrala and AOG Technics were sued at London's High Court by CFM International, GE and Safran in 2023, shortly after European regulators began investigating reports that parts without valid certificates had been found inside CFM56 engines.
Baloch said the CFM56 is "the leading engine in commercial aircraft and powers Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 planes".
CFM had launched a worldwide hunt for parts with suspected false documentation from AOG Technics, and fears over potentially false paperwork have prompted calls for extra regulation.
Baloch said Zamora Yrala's fraud had caused "a loss of trust in the airline industry as a whole".
Prosecutors are also asking for Zamora Yrala to be banned from being a company director and for confiscation of the proceeds of his fraud.
($1 = 0.7410 pounds)
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Key Takeaways
- •AOG Technics director Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala admitted to fraudulent trading from 2019–2023.
- •Forged documents were used to sell tens of thousands of CFM56 engine parts.
- •Prosecutors say over 60,000 suspect parts entered the global aviation supply chain.
- •Losses total about £39.3m, including ~£23m for American Airlines and millions for GE Aerospace and Safran.
- •Sentencing is expected today, with prosecutors also seeking a director ban and asset confiscation.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK aircraft parts company director jailed for fraud which caused millions in losses
1What is the main topic?
UK prosecutors allege AOG Technics used forged documentation to sell CFM56 engine parts, causing brief groundings in 2023 and multimillion‑pound losses across the aviation industry.
2Who is Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala and what did he admit?
He is the 38-year-old director of AOG Technics who pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading, admitting he falsified documents on aircraft engine parts between January 2019 and December 2023.
3Which companies were impacted and what losses were reported?
American Airlines faced about £23m in costs. GE Aerospace and Safran also reported losses, around £3m and £580k respectively, alongside reputational damage and operational disruptions.
