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Investigations

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Co-Founder of a Luxury Charter Jet Company Sentenced

On November 22, 2011, Andre Budhan was sentenced in U.S. District Court, District of Newark, New Jersey, as a result of his conviction for illegally operating an air charter service.  Mr. Budhan was sentenced to two years probation, ordered to pay $1 million in restitution, and a $100 special court assessment.  Mr. Budhan was one of the co-founders and managers of the luxury charter jet company Platinum Jet Management (PJM).

On June 22, 2009, Mr. Budhan pled guilty to a conspiracy to defraud charter customers and brokers, and to impede and obstruct the FAA.  Mr. Budhan admitted that from November 2002 through November 2003, PJM did not have an FAA-issued Part 135 certificate, permitting it to fly on-demand commercial flights and admitted that he and his co-conspirators misrepresented that PJM operated in compliance with FAA rules and regulations.  During the one year period where PJM did not have a Part 135 certificate, the charter jet company flew nearly 100 commercial charter flights for more than $1 million in compensation.  Restitution will be made payable to those customers who paid for the Part 135 service.