SFO Secures 4-Year Prison Sentence for Aircraft Parts Fraud

UK SFO Cases & Publications

Filed February 23rd, 2026

Detected March 13th, 2026

Summary

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has secured a 4-year prison sentence for Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, director of AOG Technics, for orchestrating a £39.3 million aircraft parts fraud. The scheme involved selling over 60,000 parts with forged airworthiness certificates, causing significant disruption and financial loss to the aviation industry.

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What changed

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has announced the sentencing of Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, director of AOG Technics, to 4 years and 8 months in prison for a global aircraft engine parts fraud. The investigation revealed that AOG Technics sold over 60,000 aircraft engine parts, worth £6.9 million, between January 2019 and July 2023, accompanied by forged Authorised Release Certificates (ARCs) that guarantee airworthiness. This fraudulent operation, which generated over £7.7 million in revenue, primarily from fraud, led to safety alerts from aviation authorities and an estimated loss of over £39.3 million for airlines and manufacturers, including American Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines.

This enforcement action highlights the severe consequences of falsifying critical safety documentation in the aviation sector. Regulated entities, particularly manufacturers and traders of aircraft parts, should ensure robust internal controls and verification processes are in place to prevent the distribution of uncertified or counterfeit components. The SFO's swift conclusion of the case, following Zamora's guilty plea in December 2025, underscores the agency's commitment to prosecuting such offenses. While no specific compliance deadline is mentioned for other entities, the case serves as a stark warning against engaging in fraudulent trading practices that endanger public safety and disrupt global supply chains.

What to do next

Review internal controls for aircraft parts authentication and certification.
Ensure all documentation accompanying aircraft parts is genuine and verifiable.
Report any suspected instances of forged airworthiness certificates to relevant authorities.

Penalties

4 years 8 months in prison

Source document (simplified)

Press release

SFO secures 4-year prison sentence for aircraft parts fraud

Director jailed for scheme that deceived aviation industry.

From: Serious Fraud Office Published 23 February 2026

Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, director of UK-based aircraft parts trader AOG Technics, has today been sentenced to 4 years 8 months in prison for orchestrating a global aircraft engine parts fraud that risked public safety and caused widespread disruption to the aviation industry.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) told Southwark Crown Court that its investigation had uncovered how Zamora, aged 38, sold parts to airlines and suppliers across the globe as part of a £39.3 million fraud conducted from his home office in Surrey.

Investigators uncovered that from January 2019 to July 2023, AOG Technics sold over 60,000 aircraft engine parts worth £6.9 million accompanied by forged Authorised Release Certificates (ARCs) – documentation that guarantees airworthiness.

Most of the parts AOG sold were for use in the CFM56 engine, the world’s most widely used commercial aircraft engine, leading to AOG generating over £7.7 million in revenue – 90% from fraud – in just four years.

The SFO exposed how Zamora used his home computer to doctor genuine ARCs, creating false memos of shipments to indicate AOG had purchased parts directly from original equipment manufacturers such as the aircraft equipment manufacturer Safran.

Zamora also invented fake employees, with customers receiving emails and documents signed by a range of fabricated sales managers and quality managers, as part of creating an illusion of a legitimate business.

AOG Technics’ operation was brought to a halt in 2023, after an airline contacted Safran to check the authenticity of an AOG part.

Safran identified the certificate as a fake and alerted authorities, leading to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issuing safety alerts in relation to all AOG Technics parts.

Planes in the UK and across the world were grounded, with an estimated loss of over £39.3 million for airlines including American Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines as well as various manufacturers.

The SFO’s investigation led Zamora to plead guilty in December 2025 to fraudulent trading – meaning the case was concluded just over two years after it was announced.

Director of Operations Emma Luxton 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.