Caveat Emptor: Avoiding private jet scams, bankruptcies, and shutdowns

Zetta Jet

New and veteran private jet flyers have discovered that if it seems too good to be true, it may well be. Here are some of the sad stories we’ve covered in the past five years

Summerset Maugham once wrote about the French Riveria it is “a sunny place for shady people.” While private aviation has a lot of great people, and I enjoy covering the industry, I have to admit I was surprised that, looking back over the past five years, there have been over a dozen private jet scams, bankruptcies, and shutdowns. To me, that seems like too many.

Charter Flight Group partner alleges fraud, unpaid taxes in lawsuit

brown wooden gavel on brown wooden table

Jet Genius Holdings, which sells private jet charter flights and memberships under Charter Flight Group, is the subject of a partner lawsuit alleging fraud and unpaid taxes

A partner in Jet Genius Holdings, Inc., which sells private jet charter flights and memberships under the Charter Flight Group banner, is suing the majority owner Jordan Brown.

(Editor’s Note: On June 8, 2023, a judge dismissed this lawsuit. Full details here.)

Mnuchin still owed 200k by defunct Jet Card Plus

Steve Mnuchin private jet

The Trump Treasury Secretary was never paid after receiving a judgment against Paul Svensen’s jet card brokerage

According to The New York Post, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin filed a Dec. 6 Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit against JetCard Plus through Mnuchin, Inc.

Mnuchin’s problems with JetCard Plus were first reported by Bloomberg in May.

Zetta Jet’s latest legal woes reveal a business “insolvent almost from inception”

The Chapter 7 Trustee for Zetta Jet alleges the glitzy private jet charter operator was in a constant state of financial distress from the start

The Trustee is seeking to claw back over $450 million from more than a dozen entities

If it sounds too good to be true, it might be too good to be true. While failed Zetta Jet marketed a champagne and caviar image, it apparently was charging Red Lobster prices and moved from financial crisis to crisis from its inception, despite portraying itself as being well-capitalized.

Its website at the time said the private jet charter operator offered “pure indulgence,” combining “Asian inspired service, European chic, and American can do.” It promised, “At Zetta Jet, no desire is too extravagant and no request too difficult.”

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