Charter Jet Owners Guilty of Fraud

The owners of a now-defunct charter jet company who reportedly catered to the rich and famous were convicted of fraud and conspiracy Nov. 15 in a fiery jet crash at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport five years ago.

A federal jury deliberated about four days to convict brothers Paul and Michael Brassington, owners of the former Platinum Jet Management in Florida, of ignoring Federal Aviation Administration safety protocols and lying about the weight of its planes so a pilot could stock up on fuel at airports with cheaper prices, like Teterboro.

The jet in the 2005 incident crashed while taking off from the New Jersey airport. An investigation later revealed the jet’s center of gravity was pushed too far forward because of the overfilled tank, according to the report. Eleven people onboard were injured as well as several more on the ground.

The company reportedly had a client list that included Luciano Pavarotti, Duran Duran, Keith Richards, Snoop Dogg, Celine Dion, Diddy, Bon Jovi and Jay-Z paying as much as $85,000 per trip.

Paul Brassington is facing up to five years in prison and his brother could get up to 20 years in prison when sentenced March 7.