19 Accused of Stealing Jet Fuel in Miami

[DoYouEverWonder]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-airport-fraud,0,6091946.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

July 22, 2004

MIAMI -- Contract workers at Miami International Airport falsely classified jet fuel as contaminated and then sold it on the sly, stealing 2.7 million gallons of fuel, prosecutors alleged Thursday.

Nineteen people including mechanics, technicians and an airport official were named in arrest warrants issued in the alleged corruption scheme, which also allegedly included unneeded or overpriced repairs and contract fraud, the State Attorney's Office said.

<snip>

The alleged thefts, overcharges and other frauds date as far back as 1999 and totaled more than $5 million, officials said.

Officials said a worker at Aircraft Services International Group, a contractor that operated the airport's fuel depot, would pump jet fuel into waste tanks under the guise it was contaminated when it wasn't.

Drivers from two other companies would then pump the good fuel into tanker trucks and shop it around for resale, an affidavit said.

Roughly 33,000 gallons of fuel were being stolen per month, and the implicated workers received kickbacks, authorities said. The stolen fuel was valued at about $4 million, authorities said.


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So much for airline security.

[wicket]

1. I'm sure they'll be able to find work with Halliburton

:eyes:

[maddezmom]

2. probably a plus on a resume

;)

[DemoTex]

3. So, we have specious Jet-A on the black market.

That, my DU friends, is aviation terrorism. Ever heard of a twin flame-out on a two engine jet due to fuel contamination? As an ALPA-trained accident investigator, I have. I'm punchin' out! By-by!

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Ah, could you translate that?

What ever you're saying, it doesn't sound good?

[truthisfreedom]

5. scary. i assume you mean that even though the fuel WASN'T contaminated

to begin with, it became contaminated by being pumped into waste tanks which were contaminated, and presumably hauled away in tankers that had also carried waste tank material, so it was further contaminated. right?

[DemoTex]

7. Partially right.

Jet-A, tanked-delivered-pumped, is highly tested. It comes in numbered lots. When I, as a captain, sign for a fuel load, I sign not only for quantity, but for quality, too. It is part of the package.

Stolen Jet-A can be and is mixed with other stolen products. One never knows what. The end product, while burnable in a jet engine at 29,000 ft, might cause a flame out at 35,000 ft. Verb Sap!

[Syncronaut Seven]

6. What do you do with Jet-A

Burn it in a deisel engine? Black market fuel in an aircraft is just dumb.

[DemoTex]

8. Jet-A is basically kerosene.

It can be used in substitute for kerosene anywhere and any time.

[mrbassman03]

9. oooooh, time to head across the country

Makes me wonder what other airlines, big or small would be doing to cut costs...