Director of global aircraft parts supplier charged with fraud offence in connection with safety fears that forced airlines to ground at least 126 passenger planes

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today charged a man with fraudulent trading as part of its investigation into a company whose alleged practices led to the grounding of several aircrafts.

that sold airline parts for the passenger and cargo aircraft engines, the CF56 and CF6.

Zamora Yrala, 36, (above) the company director, is accused of operating UK- based AOG Technics for a fraudulent purpose. The company’s customers included airlines, maintenance providers and parts suppliers.

From 2019 to 2023 the company allegedly defrauded customers by falsifying documentation that related to the origin, status or condition of aircraft parts.

Planes in the UK and elsewhere around the world were grounded in 2023 after the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued safety alerts to airlines that may have bought or installed AOG’s parts.

Soon after, the SFO launched an investigation, later agreeing to conduct a joint investigation with Portuguese authorities into the supply of suspected fraudulent safety certification and parts. The Portuguese investigation is ongoing and last week authorities searched ten locations across Portugal and made three arrests with SFO officers in attendance.

Zamora Yrala will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday 2 June 2025.

Nick Ephgrave QPM, Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), said: “Planes were grounded, and significant disruption was caused, today’s charges are the outcome of a focussed and fast paced investigation.

“I’m proud that we’ve acted swiftly, together with our Europeans partners, to bring this important case to charge in just 19 months.”