The lawsuit alleging fraud and unpaid Federal Excise Tax owed from private jet charter flights was dismissed, although the plaintiff can refile.
A lawsuit filed last August and amended earlier this year by Aaron “Angel” Stanz, a shareholder of Jet Genius and Charter Flight Group, against the company and its principal, Jordan Brown, and related companies has been dismissed. However, Stanz plans to refile.
The action alleged fraud, including millions of dollars in unpaid federal excise taxes and misappropriation of funds.
The lawsuit targeted Brown and a variety of related companies he controls, including Jet Genius Holdings, Inc., Jet Genius Florida Holdings, Inc., Jet Genius Holdings, Inc., Jet Genius Florida Holdings, Inc., C3 Jets, LLC, Bowman Aviation, Lcc, Jet Agency Global LLC, C3 Limo, LLL, Brown Family Trust, and Does 1-20.
Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel dismissed each cause of action and added, “[T]he Court does not purport to have made findings in each.”
However, he appeared to take Stanz’s lawyers to task, writing they “struggled with rules non-compliance throughout the course of this litigation.”
In one instance, the Judge said, “The Court is further confounded by Plaintiff’s allegation that he was not aware he was a shareholder of (Jet Genius Florida Holdings) where his (first amended complaints) states that he received a stock certificate representing 24.5% of JGFH Class A Shares on April 26, 2022, approximately three months before filing his initial Complaint.”
Judge Curiel is giving Stanz one last chance, offering a leave to amend and file a second amended complaint by June 30, 2023.
Stanz has had his own legal issues in the past.
In May 2018, Stanz was charged by the SEC with defrauding investors by making exaggerated and misleading claims about the medical marijuana company’s business operations and financial condition. The case was settled without Stanz admitting or denying the SEC’s allegations
In 2009, Stanz was cited by the Attorney General of Illinois for “alleged phone cramming operations..that placed unauthorized charges on the phone bills of thousands of Illinois consumers, small businesses and local governments.” As part of the settlement, Stanz agreed to cease participating in the alleged deceptive practices.
Stanz tells Private Jet Card Comparisons he plans to refile.
Brown declined to comment.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this post stated the defendant is able to refile. It has been updated to indicate that the plaintiff has the ability to refile.
