Maryland Man Convicted of Defrauding Private Jet Customers for $15M

Baltimore, Maryland - A federal jury delivered a verdict that is sending a Maryland man to prison stemming from a wire-fraud scam.

The jury found Patrick Britton-Harr, 43, of Annapolis, guilty of six counts of wire fraud in connection with a private-jet service scheme. Britton-Harr, who owned and operated a company that offered charter flights on private jets, defrauded customers by making false promises about how he planned to use their money.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdict with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Justice Department, Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG).

"This conviction sends a strong message that if you scam and defraud others, we're coming after you with the full weight of the law," Hayes said. "We will always seek justice for victims. Through his greed and deceitful actions, Mr. Britton-Harr showed a total disregard for the law and others. The U.S. Attorney's Office, along with our law-enforcement partners, is committed to holding accountable individuals who prey on and take advantage of unsuspecting people."

"Patrick Britton-Harr stole millions of dollars from his customers by lying to them about how he would use and protect their money," Duva said. "He used his business as a front to fraudulently induce his clients to make down payments for services never provided. Meanwhile he bought yachts, expensive jewelry, and lined his own pockets. The prosecutors and agents who brought this case vindicated the victims. If you prey on, trick, and defraud people, you will be investigated and prosecuted."

"This conviction holds Patrick Britton-Harr accountable for the lies he told and the millions of dollars he stole from customers to bankroll his extravagant lifestyle," Paul said. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners work tirelessly to protect victims from fraudsters and will go after anyone who takes advantage of investors for personal gain."

According to evidence presented at trial, Britton-Harr owned and controlled AeroVanti, Inc. and its affiliated entities. Through AeroVanti, a private air club offering members access to private jets, Britton-Harr set up a limited-time opportunity that invited "Top Gun" members to pay $150,000 upfront to help the company buy a plane in exchange for a block of discounted flight hours. He promised to use their money to purchase specific aircraft, and he pledged to protect their money by delivering the aircraft titles to escrow. The Top Gun members collectively paid approximately $15 million in upfront payments to purchase five aircraft.

But instead of buying the aircraft, Britton-Harr misappropriated members' money for his own personal benefit. This included purchasing yachts and jewelry, paying for his living expenses, and renting a $10,000 per month home near Tampa, Florida. Evidence at trial further established that Britton-Harr then attempted to conceal his fraud by obtaining a $1.5 million loan to purchase one of the aircraft he already claimed that he purchased with Top Gun member funds by withholding material information from the lender to obtain the loan.

Britton-Harr faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison per count. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Additionally, in May 2025, a federal jury separately indicted Britton-Harr on multiple counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering related to his participation in a scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare for expensive respiratory tests. The health care fraud trial is slated for October 2026.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DOT-OIG for their work in investigating these cases. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari D. Evans and Fraud Section Attorney Ariel Glasner who prosecuted this federal case, along with Fraud Section Trial Attorney Tara Shinnick who provided significant assistance.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

# # #