Airbus A320-214 plane, from TAP
Three Portuguese citizens and a former foreign DJ are the main targets in an alleged international scam with airplane parts that allegedly caused losses of 45 million euros to several airlines — 6.5 of which to TAP.
Between 2019 and 2023, according to charges from the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP), more than 60,000 pieces reached the market, the majority with defects and falsified certificates.
The circulation of these components forced TAP, American Airlines and Aero Norway to suspend operations to inspect all elements installed on their aircraft.
The Portuguese defendants, Gonçalo Trinchanteformer TAP staff, Amandio Frostconnected to Hi Fly, and João Almeidafrom Aura Airlines, are accused by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of qualified fraud, criminal association, attack on transport security and tax fraud.
According to Correio da Manhçã, the three took advantage of the access to warehouses of companies to divert parts, which would then be placed on the international market by Jose Yralaformer Venezuelan DJ who ran the scheme in England, where he ended up arrested.
In total, the three Portuguese will have collected more than one million eurosof which the “Lion’s share” would have fallen to Trinchante: 859 thousand euros.
The evidence gathered by the Judiciary Police includes WhatsApp messages in which Trinchante informed his wife of the amounts he received. On July 8, 2019 he wrote “Xixi, I’m already safe“, and “20 thousand in the account”. In another conversation, regarding the comment “Piracy” from the woman, replied with a laconic “study“.
Em preventive detention since May 2025the three remain in prison by decision of the judge, who renewed the precautionary measure due to the danger of continuing criminal activity.
According to , Yrala’s company, AOG Technics, was a facade whose The only real employees were himself, his wife, his brother-in-law and the nanny of the family. Between 2015 and 2023, there will be sold more than 60 thousand components suspects, generating close to 8 million eurosaround 90% of its total turnover.
Of the 319 relevant supplies, 209 had “Trinchante Aviation“, Gonçalo Trinchante’s company.
Among the more than 40 customers there were American Airlines, Air France, Iberia, Ethiopian Airlines and TAP, which purchased 34,396 components, for a total of close to 1.2 million euros.
To project an image of solidity, Yrala created fictitious identitieslike “Michael Klein“, the pseudonym he used as a DJ, and simulated warehouses in Miami, Frankfurt, Singapore and the United Kingdom, according to documents cited by Bloomberg.
Yrala was detained in December 2023 in the United Kingdom and sentenced, in February 2026, to four years and eight months in prison for fraudulent tradingtoo bad not covers crimes committed in Portuguese territory.
