John Walker walks into the District Court of Guam on Sept. 9, 2022 in Hagåtña.
Photo by Norman M. Taruc/The Guam Daily Post
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A Hansen Helicopters executive was sentenced to over 33 years in federal prison by Guam District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood. The sentence was handed down in the massive aviation fraud case which involved 48 shell companies, forged documents, counterfeited aircraft parts, bribery and death.
John D. Walker, 60, was sentenced to 405 months, nearly three years after a jury found him guilty of 110 counts including:
• Conspiracy to defraud the FAA and NTSB
• Aircraft parts fraud causing serious bodily injury and death
• Employing uncertified mechanics
• Registration violations
• Wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering
The former chief executive officer of Hansen Helicopters was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine, a $9,900 special assessment fee and forfeited $58,407,513 in proceeds from aircraft parts fraud and wire fraud.
“In addition to $11,770,000, which represented the amount of money involved in the money laundering offenses,” a release from the United States Department of Justice on Thursday.
According to the Justice Department, Walker ran an illegal helicopter leasing business using 48 shell companies, many offshore.
A multi-agency investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and in partnership with the Customs & Quarantine Agency of Guam found that Walker concealed that “his aircraft were unregistered or illegally registered, unairworthy, and maintained and operated by uncertificated airmen, and entered fraudulent lease agreements with numerous tuna boat companies earning over $400.”
The crimes were concealed by forging documents, counterfeiting aircraft parts, and bribing aviation officials.
“They blatantly disregarded aviation laws to build and operate aircraft that should never have left the ground. Fishing companies throughout the Pacific region relied on these aircraft for spotting tuna. Unfortunately, the defendants’ quest for money resulted in the deaths of many pilots. This was a difficult case to investigate and prosecute, but well worth federal resources. I commend our law enforcement partners on bringing these defendants to justice,” U.S. Attorney Shawn Anderson said.
The consequences of Walker’s action were deadly.
“How many times have we heard, ’It’s just money…’ when it comes to financial crime?” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation, Seattle Field Office in the release. “This case shows that all too often, innocent people suffer catastrophic harm because of someone else’s greed. Financial crime is not victimless, and IRS-CI will continue to protect our communities from people like Mr. Walker who put their greed above all else.”
Hansen Helicopters was sentenced to 5 years’ probation, fined $4.9 million, and assessed $2,000 in penalties.
