A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Senior Editor

Curt Epstein

Federal agents in California on Wednesday morning&nbsp;seized a HondaJet&nbsp;belonging to high-profile attorney Michael Avenatti, as part of a grand jury indictment on a raft of fraud and tax offenses. The light twinjet, registered as N227WP to Newport Beach, California-based Passport 420, was seized at California’s Santa Barbara Municipal Airport under warrant from a federal judge and&nbsp;was then flown to a government contractor's aircraft storage area in Chino, according to a U.S. Department of Justice spokesman.

 


The indictment states in part&nbsp;that Avenatti defrauded a client who received a $3 million settlement, taking $2.5 million for himself and using it to purchase a portion of the 2016 aircraft, while falsely telling his client that the settlement called for monthly payments over eight years. Avenatti allegedly made several payments in the name of the payer of the settlement, but soon stopped altogether.

 


“The financial investigation conducted by the IRS details a man who allegedly failed to meet his obligations to the government, stole from his clients, and used his ill-gotten gains to support his racing team, the ownership of Tully’s coffee shops, and a private jet,” said Ryan Korner, acting special agent in charge with IRS Criminal Investigation in Los Angeles.

 


Avenatti, currently free on $300,000 bond, is scheduled for arraignment on April 29 in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Feds Nab Famous Attorney's Jet

Michael Avenatti, who made headlines as the attorney for adult-film star Stormy Daniels against the President, had his HondaJet seized under fraud charges.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Duffy served in Congress from 2011 to 2019

Former Rep. Duffy Selected for Transportation Secretary

AmyWilder

Operators push for simpler fatigue-management rules

Canada’s Flight and Duty Time Regulations under Scrutiny

Thune formerly chaired the Commerce Committee and is well versed in aviation issues

Thune Move to Senate Majority Leader Draws Bizav Praise

Hanneke Weitering

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Inflight refueling aircraft slated for first autonomous flight in 2025

USAF Approves Merlin's Airworthiness Plan for Autonomous KC-135

Tax issues among first anticipated on Capitol Hill's plate next year

Washington To See New Aviation Leaders in Next Congress

Tariffs, Schedule F, sustainability, audits all possible changes

New White House Sets Stage for New Aviation Policy

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Report identifies vulnerabilities in labor, materials, and infrastructure

Task Force Details Aerospace Supply-chain Weaknesses

Charles Alcock

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

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