Arrest in airline ‘fake parts’ scandal that grounded hundreds of planes

The Serious Fraud Office has arrested an individual linked with AOG Technics

Delta Air Lines became the fourth major US airline to have found ‘a small number’ of components supplied by AOG Technics on its planes (Getty Images)

The Serious Fraud Office has made an arrest as part of an investigation into a company that allegedly supplied jet-engine parts to airlines using forged paperwork.

The individual was arrested at a property in Greater London on Wednesday afternoon by the SFO and National Crime Agency (NCA). The person, who has not been named, is being questioned on suspicion of fraud and was detained at a non-commercial address.

The Independent exclusively revealed in October that parts sold by AOG were found on a Tui aircraft. The part has since been removed and the firm are no longer on Tui’s approved supplier list.

AOG was started in 2015 and became embroiled in a worldwide scandal, first reported by Bloomberg, that grounded hundreds of planes after allegations it supplied aircraft parts using fake documents.

The parts have been found inside CFM56 engines, the world’s best-selling passenger aircraft engine that is used to power older Airbus and Boeing jets.

The SFO said that the parts were sold to overseas companies, some UK airlines, aircraft maintenance providers and some parts suppliers.

European and UK regulators put out warnings in August to airlines about “suspected unapproved parts” that had been distributed by the firm.

In addition, jet engine maker CFM International took AOG to the High Court and said it had “compelling documentary evidence” that parts had been sold without the requisite documentation.

After the scandal broke AOG deleted its website and LinkedIn profiles. The company previously had a virtual office space at the Nova Building at 11 Bressenden Place, a high-end office space near London Victoria station. It has since moved to another virtual office space in east London.

The SFO said that some planes had been grounded in the UK and US due to the allegations. It is working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and regulators in Europe and the US to obtain information for its investigation.

The CAA has been approached for further comment.

Nick Ephgrave QPM, Director of the Serious Fraud Office, said: “This investigation deals with very serious allegations of fraud involving the supply of aircraft parts, the consequences of which are potentially far reaching.

“The SFO is best placed to take this investigation forward vigorously and we are determined to establish the facts as swiftly as possible.”

The aircraft, engine and parts manufacturing industry is worth £34.5bn to the UK economy.