Four indicted for selling used aircraft parts as new

A federal grand jury has indicted a man, his two sons and a woman for allegedly running a fraudulent international aircraft parts ring with operations in Ireland and the US.

US Attorney Paul Charlton announced yesterday that Joseph Smith Jr, 67, Joseph Smith III, 43, Thomas Smith, 39, and Cynthia Macaulay, 41, were all being charged in the case and ordered to appear before a federal magistrate on March 3.

The 55-count indictment alleges that between July 1998 and October 2000, the Smiths operated Smyth Aerospace Manufacturing with offices in Shannon, Co Clare and Phoenix, Arizona.

The indictment said the company purchased used aircraft parts, repainted them and then sold them as new.

The company also allegedly sold used substandard materials as new.

The parts were designed for engines used in the US Air Force T-37 and T-38 jet trainer aircraft, the Nasa fleet and commercial Learjet.

A conviction for aircraft fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.