Aircraft Supply Kingpin Gets 11 Years for $7M Fraud

HARTFORD, CT – Kyle J. Wine, 42, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, is trading in airframes for prison bars after receiving an 11-year federal sentence today for a brazen $7 million fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams handed down the 132-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release, after Wine pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.

The scheme, spanning from at least 2018 through 2021, involved Wine’s various commercial aircraft supply companies – JetPro International, LLC (“JetPro”), Nexus Aviation, and Turbotech Partners. Wine systematically defrauded investors, siphoning their funds to purchase aircraft parts, then pocketing the profits instead of sharing them. He wasn’t just building a business; he was building a house of cards on other people’s money.

One particularly galling instance involved a $4.5 million investment from a Darien, Connecticut firm, lured with the promise of an Airbus A320-231 airframe and two engines. Wine fabricated correspondence, creating fake email accounts and domain names to maintain the illusion of legitimate sales negotiations. The truth? He’d already sold the engine for $2.45 million and the airframe for $1.3 million, keeping the cash for himself. He even used more of the investor’s money to buy *another* engine, all without a shred of transparency.

The total damage Wine inflicted on his 13 victims reached a staggering $7,152,666.67. Judge Williams will determine the exact restitution amount after further proceedings, though it will be reduced by any assets recovered through the investigation. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about ruined financial futures and broken trust.

Wine’s audacity didn’t end with the initial fraud. While out on bond pending sentencing, he attempted to secure a loan for a Cadillac Escalade using forged bank statements. That stunt backfired, leading to his detention on December 20, 2022. This isn’t Wine’s first rodeo with the law. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering in Missouri, stemming from a $4.4 million mortgage fraud scheme involving 86 properties. He received probation for that offense – a slap on the wrist that clearly didn’t deter him.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis leading the prosecution. Wine’s attempt to fly under the radar has crashed and burned, and he’ll have plenty of time to contemplate his choices behind bars. This case serves as a harsh reminder that financial crimes, no matter how complex, will be pursued relentlessly.