Co-founder of Fla. charter jet company admits running commercial flights without license

Fla. charter jet exec pleads to improper flights

NEWARK, N.J. — The co-founder of a Florida-based charter jet company that operated a plane that crashed on takeoff at Teterboro Airport in 2005 has admitted that the company flew for a year without proper certification.

Andre Budhan of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to defraud charter customers and obstruct the Federal Aviation Administration.

He admitted that Fort Lauderdale-based Platinum Jet Management booked and flew roughly 100 uncertified flights in 2002 and 2003.

He is one of six defendants in the case, which resulted from the investigation of the Teterboro crash. The others have entered not guilty pleas.

Budhan faces a prison sentence of 46 to 57 months.

No one was killed in the 2005 crash, but 11 people on the plane and several on the ground were injured.