Naples jet broker faces lawsuits over canceled flights

A Naples flight broker has been saddled with eight lawsuits filed by customers who allege they paid for flights or memberships but they were canceled, including one to evacuate people to the U.S. after the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel.  

Four lawsuits filed by charter operators allege they weren’t paid for planes they provided to Jordan Brown’s companies, while his former business partner and two aviation companies sued over theft of confidential information and trade secrets, and three others involve unpaid debts.  

Brown, who operates Jet Agency Global, Jet Genius Florida Holdings and other entities, faces judgments totaling more than $1.176 million, many of them default judgments for not responding to lawsuits. In all, at least 18 lawsuits were filed in four states: Florida, Texas, California and New York. 

“Brown has used these entities interchangeably to collect membership deposits and charter fees from customers while failing to perform the contracted services, failing to pay charter operators for flights and refusing to issue refunds,” states a lawsuit filed by Morris Dudgeon on June 26 in Collier Circuit Court alleges, noting “multiple courts” have entered judgments against Brown’s companies for the “same pattern of conduct.” 

Fighting back 

Brown, 44, has his own complaints. Palm Beach County court records show he and his companies sued six customers who disputed flight charges as fraud, prompting credit card providers to take back payments. Because fraud was involved, Brown was able to win triple damages in two, including one involving a Naples man who paid with a stolen credit card. 

Brown, who started his career washing planes at age 13, told The Naples Press his businesses took off during the pandemic, when people sought private flights. 

“While the jet charter business is a very tough and unpredictable business, I fully understand that is not the reason Jet Agency is in the situation we find ourselves at this time,” Brown said. “I have spent 25 years in the business and have been successful for 23 of them. The last two years have brought some challenging and unexpected circumstances, including cash-flow instability and talent shortages that have caused a heavy financial burden. 

“No question, I have made some mistakes, but I’m in the process of restructuring the company and working day and night to turn things around,” he said, adding that his company loves Naples and does everything it can to provide ultimate service, unique benefits and competitive pricing. “There are many clients here who are extremely happy with Jet Agency and continue to fly with us regularly. I am certain with the restructuring and more hands-on management, we will successfully navigate this turbulent time and Jet Agency will be back to providing the premium and reliable service we know how to deliver and have consistently done in the past.” 

Of three lawsuits still pending in Collier County, he branded one frivolous, barred under the contract, and said he’s negotiating settlements with the others. 

Brown leases offices at 780 Fifth Ave. S., Suite 200, in downtown Naples, through 780 on Fifth Executive Suites, which offers executive suites, virtual offices, conference rooms, a receptionist and other amenities at a luxury address. Corporate websites for Jet Agency and Jet Genius Florida Holdings, which did business as Charter Flight Group, FlyCFG and CFG, list that address. He also leases a 1,000-square-foot showroom, with meeting space, across the street at 779 Fifth Ave. S. 

Brown, who lives in Naples and North Palm Beach, operates JetCharter.com out of Boca Raton. Court and voter records show his full name is Jordan Evan Burns Brown. 

Bowman Aviation no longer operates after he failed to file an annual report and the state revoked his incorporation in 2024 after three years. And state records show Charter Flight Group’s fictitious name expired Dec. 31; Brown posted on LinkedIn that it went out of business and is reimbursing customers. 

“We owe clients and operators money,” Brown wrote, providing his email and phone number and encouraging customers to contact him if they’re owed money. “CFG ceased operations last year but we are still paying folks back to this day. It is very hard to pay people back when false information is shared on platforms such as this.” 

He blamed a former partner’s 2022 federal lawsuit, which alleged theft of trade secrets and non-payment of federal excise taxes as “the match that lit the fire.” He called the allegations false. However, he admitted he mismanaged growth of his $100 million company.

Jet sellers and brokers 

Brown’s companies are jet-card sellers, private aviation companies that offer prepaid flight programs to secure flight hours at a contracted, fixed hourly rate, guaranteeing aircraft availability even on short notice for a hefty deposit. Customers can book flights at fixed hourly rates with guaranteed availability by paying a membership fee, and as they fly, hours are subtracted. 

Contracts show Jet Agency operates as a charter broker, sourcing luxury planes from a network of vetted, licensed charter operators, providing a variety of aircraft from which customers can choose depending on trip length and group size. As a jet-card seller, it offers flexibility without the capital and maintenance burdens of fractional ownership or ad-hoc charters — on-demand, one-off aircraft rentals reserved for specific trips. 

“All of the perks. None of the pressure,” Brown’s promotions say. “Own the experience. Not the jet.” 

However, contracts include hefty cancellation and no-show fees, including up to 100%, at the company’s discretion, and high membership cancellation fees. Still, many customers have posted glowing reviews, while others complained about cancellation fees, high prices or older planes. 

‘Alter ego’ for companies 

In the latest lawsuit against Jet Agency, Jet Genius Florida Holdings and Brown, Morris Dudgeon alleges Brown is “the alter ego” of Jet Agency and Jet Genius, controlling and operating a network of interrelated entities, including Jet Agency, Jet Genius Florida Holdings, Jet Genius Holdings, Charter Flight Group, JetCharter.com, C3 Jets, C3 Limo and Bowman Aviation. 

The lawsuit says Dudgeon paid $103,425 for a “Light Jet membership,” with 15 hours of allocated flight time; a complimentary round trip from Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Rochester, Minnesota, in October 2025; 1.2 hours of minimum billable time; complimentary black-car ground transportation for flights at Florida airports; and a $250 catering credit per flight. 

Dudgeon alleges his November 2025 complimentary flight was “the only flight Jet Agency ever provided.” On March 31, 2026, he requested an April 11 flight from Tucson to Stillwater, “well in excess” of the required 48 hours’ notice, but on the day of departure, Jet Agency emailed to say it couldn’t secure an aircraft, citing “high demand, fleet positioning constraints and ongoing operational congestion.” 

As a result, the lawsuit says, Dudgeon incurred $516 in out-of-pocket expenses for alternative travel arrangements. 

In October 2025, he booked a round-trip flight to Louisville for May 2, 2026, to attend the Kentucky Derby and the trip was confirmed. On April 20, Dudgeon provided a passenger list of six passengers and spent $7,462 for six Kentucky Derby tickets. However, a day before the flight, Jet Agency canceled; Dudgeon’s Derby tickets were non-refundable. 

On May 2, Dudgeon notified Jet Agency he was canceling his membership due to “repeated material breaches” and demanded a full refund, noting no hours were used. Days later, his lawyer sent a letter demanding payment within a week, plus reimbursement for his out-of-pocket expenses and damages, but he hasn’t received a refund. 

“Defendants’ failure to perform under the agreement with plaintiff is not an isolated occurrence but reflects a pattern and practice of collecting membership deposits and charter fees from consumers while failing to provide the contracted flight services,” the lawsuit says, listing other lawsuits, including one that led a federal judge to find Brown in contempt of court. 

Didn’t pay charter 

In a Collier Circuit Court lawsuit filed in November, Ledge Rock Apartments II alleges it paid Jet Agency $312,500 for a membership last year, but the company failed to provide aircraft at least twice in October 2025, citing force majeure, a contract provision that frees parties from liability if an extraordinary, uncontrollable and unforeseeable event occurs — including war, natural disaster, acts of God or government shutdowns. 

“Jordan Brown has repeatedly admonished plaintiff to ‘read the contract,’” the lawsuit says, noting Ledge Rock did, but found no basis for non-performance, except force majeure. 

The real reason for the cancellation, Ledge Rock alleges, is that the charter operator revealed that Jet Agency never paid for the charter. The lawsuit seeks damages for breach of contract, fraudulent inducement, conversion, unjust enrichment and violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.  

In his response, Brown’s attorney, Bernard Carollo Jr. of Naples, blamed “acts of God, or force majeure” and factors beyond their control, saying neither party had control or responsibility, and Brown isn’t liable because Ledge Rock’s claims are barred by the contract. 

In a Collier Circuit Court lawsuit filed in May, Paul Shirley of California paid $100,000 for a membership and booked his first flight in February, from Palm Springs to Reno, but Jet Agency failed to provide a flight and Shirley was forced to pay for an alternative. His lawyer sent a letter demanding a membership refund and then sued, seeking triple damages. After no response, a default judgment was entered June 23; a final judgment is pending. 

A Collier County Court case involves a prior $30,595 settlement between Brown, Jet Agency, a former Brown employee and customer Steven Gonzalez, who demanded reimbursement for the remainder of his membership after agreeing to remove a negative Google review in return. The lawsuit, filed June 25, is pending. 

Several lawsuits were filed in Palm Beach Circuit Court, where Michael Pinkert sued JetCharter.com in January, alleging he paid $49,972.40 for a round trip for six passengers from Fort Lauderdale to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The company didn’t provide a flight and he paid $73,385 more for alternative accommodations. Brown never responded, prompting a $77,900.70 default judgment on June 30. 

A motion for default judgment involving a June 2025 lawsuit is pending in federal court in Fort Myers, where Michael Nix sued Charter Flight Group over a $77,781.40 round-trip flight from Lubbock, Texas, to Raleigh, N.C., that wasn’t provided. 

Last year, after Brown didn’t respond to another lawsuit, a federal judge in Fort Pierce ordered Jet Genius and Charter Flight Group to pay $542,343, including attorney’s fees and interest. New Jersey-based Plane Talk Travel sued after it wasn’t given a full $630,785 refund after Brown didn’t provide a flight out of Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The 2024 lawsuit alleged Brown admitted in writing he was obligated to return the full payment. 

Last August, a federal judge in West Palm Beach ordered Charter Flight Group to pay Frederic Gautier-Winther, head of a Houston-based development and investment firm, $140,530.47. The developer sued in February 2025, alleging he paid $88,925 for a round-trip flight to Turks and Caicos, but Brown failed to provide a flight and Winther made alternative arrangements. 

Other lawsuits filed in Palm Beach County involved unpaid debts, including two to American Express, which won $196,826.34, and a $34,102 judgment in favor of Clear Channel Outdoor. 

Charter operators not paid 

When Capital Jets wasn’t able to provide a plane a customer requested, it asked Jet Genius, which agreed to provide one on Nov. 2, 2024, for $17,210, from Long Island to Boca Raton. Capital Jets’ November 2024 lawsuit, filed in Palm Beach Circuit Court, shows it provided the flight, which was processed by credit card after Brown didn’t wire transfer funds. But the card company later informed Capital Jets there was an insufficient balance, and Brown’s second card couldn’t cover it. 

Court records show Nate Sutliffe, Capital Jets’ VP of operations, texted Brown, asking him to process the payment, and Brown replied, “We don’t have the money.” 

Sutliffe responded: “That’s pretty alarming. Are you saying this is going to remain unpaid?” 

Brown said he wasn’t and assured him, “We will get the wire out to you.”  

He didn’t, and it led to a $17,210 judgment in March 2025, followed by garnishment attempts, threats of contempt or arrest. As of last month, records show, Brown hadn’t paid a $9,000 settlement that required him to pay $15,281.58 if he defaulted, and a judge granted a motion to enforce the higher amount. 

Two other lawsuits involving charter operators were settled in Palm Beach Circuit Court. Maine-based Acadia Seaplanes and Siskiyou Aviation of California alleged Brown made false statements about forthcoming payments to induce them to provide flights, $16,180 for Acadia and $54,366.13 for Siskiyou, which alleged Brown “intentionally failed to initiate the wire transfers and knowingly, willingly and maliciously provided credit card accounts that lacked the available credit limits.” 

Last September, Lone Star Aviation, a Texas-based charter, sued in Harris County, Texas, alleging Brown agreed to pay $54,103 for two flights in 2024, but his credit cards were declined. After repeated demands, the lawsuit says, Brown paid $10,000. In August 2024, Lone Star’s attorney sent a letter demanding the rest, but it remains unpaid. Lone Star noted the passengers paid Brown and Charter Flight Group. 

As the case continued, a May 22 interlocutory judgment ordered Charter Flight Group to pay $53,683, including attorney fees and interest. 

Brown has sued customers 

Palm Beach court records show Jet Genius, Brown or JetCharter.com have filed six lawsuits against customers after not being paid $174,365.46, including two who used stolen credit cards that prompted card companies to charge back funds to the card owners. Some were settled or stipulated; and one was dropped and refiled and is pending, seeking triple damages of $111,776.49 due to fraud. Two resulted in triple-damage judgments totaling $197,960.64.  

In a lawsuit settled two years ago, Jet Genius sued a Palm Beach wealth advisor who canceled a $44,600.48 flight during peak holiday time. Brown warned Ankit Shah he’d have to pay the full price under the contract, but the lawsuit says they agreed to settle for $15,000. However, Shah’s credit card company refunded him the entire amount and Brown sued. 

Brown sued a competitor in April 2023, alleging he’d never met or spoken to Daniel Gross, but between July 14, 2022, and Jan. 22, 2023, Gross embarked on a campaign on Instagram to divert customers away from Brown and his companies. The lawsuit alleges Gross urged customers and vendors to “boycott” and “blacklist” them and threatened to “ruin” and “end” Brown. 

After mediation, they settled in September 2024.

Theft of trade secrets 

Three lawsuits against Brown allege theft of technical trade secrets and confidential information. In federal court in New York, Luxury Aircraft sued its former employee, Jack Willison, Brown and JetCharter.com, alleging Willison pretended his company computer was slow so he could use his personal computer to download high-level proprietary information, including customer lists, in the months before he left to work for Brown. The lawsuit alleges he stole Luxury’s “valuable trade secrets to benefit their competing business, while diverting business from Luxury, interfering with Luxury’s business, and stealing Luxury’s clients as quickly and ruthlessly as possible.” 

It alleges Willison ignored a non-compete clause and lured customers to Brown, leading them to believe he represented Luxury. Last August, the judge ordered Willison to return Luxury’s computer and barred Willison from working in aviation, including for Brown and his companies, until after July 4, 2026. 

A 2021 lawsuit filed in Palm Beach by Exclusive Charter Services alleged its employee, Jason Brice, diverted its clients to Jet Genius and used its confidential information to benefit Jet Genius, which later hired Brice as regional sales VP, violating a non-compete agreement. After mediation, they settled in February 2023. 

In a federal lawsuit in California, Brown’s former partner, Aaron Stanz, alleges Brown employs a shell game, shifting assets and intellectual property among shell entities to dodge company obligations and divert funds; misappropriate millions of dollars in collected federal excise taxes that weren’t fully remitted to the IRS; and stole his intellectual property, a software platform. 

“Brown disregards nearly all corporate formalities and just shifts assets from one entity to another, all for his personal gain and benefit,” the lawsuit alleges, listing Brown, seven of his companies and 20 Doe entities as defendants. “… Plaintiff believes Brown’s plan is to continue repeating that cycle, all for his personal gain.” 

Filed in 2022, the case Brown blames for igniting all his troubles is still pending.  

In addition to filing lawsuits, customers and former employees have posted complaints on consumer platforms, including Reddit, Glassdoor, Yelp and Trust Pilot, where FlyCFG gets mostly five-star ratings, while Jet Agency gets two stars. One customer said he didn’t make it to a baseball game until the fourth inning due to delays, while another loved the support team and pilots but complained about the plane’s age and interior. 

Charter Flight Group got an F from the Better Business Bureau for failing to respond to two complaints, but BBB gave an A+ rating to Jet Agency, which listed three complaints, with one cautioning: “Be forewarned, they will take your money and not deliver the aircraft, leaving you and your family and pets stranded at the airport.”