Florida Duo Admits to Trafficking Counterfeit Aircraft Parts to Canadian Airlines and U.S. Defense

Two individuals from Florida, identified as Daniel Navarro, 50, of Miami Lakes, and Jorge Guerrero, 71, of Hialeah, have entered guilty pleas for their roles in distributing counterfeit aircraft parts to Canadian airlines and a contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. Their illicit operations spanned approximately eight years, starting in 2012, capitalizing on the aviation industry’s need for spare parts.

Navarro, who served as the vice president of Sofly Aviation Services, alongside Guerrero, the company’s procurement and asset management specialist, engaged in a scheme to sell “as removed” aircraft parts as airworthy, bypassing the stringent airworthiness criteria set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Europe’s Air Standards Authority (EASA). These parts, stripped from decommissioned aircraft, were misrepresented as overhauled, tested, and inspected, despite lacking the necessary verification.

Their fraudulent activities involved the unauthorized use of an FAA-approved repair station’s certificate number to falsely attest to the parts’ airworthiness. This deception endangered the integrity of the aviation supply chain, posing potential risks to both commercial and military aviation safety.

Scheduled for sentencing on May 23, Navarro and Guerrero face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 each. Additionally, they are expected to pay substantial restitution, the amount of which will be determined at their sentencing hearing.

This case highlights a broader issue of counterfeit aviation components infiltrating the market, as evidenced by a recent arrest in the UK by the Serious Fraud Office, involving fake parts that have led to the grounding of aircraft worldwide. The suspect was linked to AOG Technics Ltd, a company accused of selling counterfeit spare parts for CFM56 engines—widely used in Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft—using forged documentation to mask the parts’ true origins and conditions.

These incidents underscore the critical importance of vigilance and integrity within the aviation parts supply chain to safeguard flight safety. The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG), along with federal and international law enforcement partners, remains committed to identifying and prosecuting those who compromise aviation safety through fraudulent activities.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, paddleyourownkanoo.com