At least 10 lawsuits filed since September accuse OneFlight and CEO Ferren Rajput of operating in a manner resembling a Ponzi scheme. The complaints say the company relied on prepaid customer funds while struggling with rising charter costs and other expenses. Those are allegations, not findings of wrongdoing in court.

OneFlight, based at Centennial Airport, said on its website in September that it was pausing flight activity for 30 days or until further notice while it evaluated its operations. Former employees told The Denver Post that the company’s Englewood office is now empty and that workers received their final paychecks nine days late. One former employee described the business as having no path to recovery.

The company sold memberships with annual fees ranging from $15,000 to $40,000 and offered access to charter flights through a network of operators. It also promoted prepaid flying credits and limited-time deals. In one offer described in a customer’s lawsuit, a $100,000 deposit would earn $200,000 in flight credits. The complaint alleges such promotions were intended to bring in cash quickly and help cover existing obligations.

OneFlight reported $232 million in revenue for 2025, up from $122 million the year before, according to a company announcement cited in court filings. But former employees said they saw signs of financial strain, including bounced paychecks, declined company cards and unpaid invoices. A former flight-quality specialist said some trips were sold below their actual charter cost. The lawsuits similarly contend that expenses rose while customer commitments remained tied to older rates.

The company’s public image was built around luxury and celebrity ties. Actors including Ben Stiller, Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell and Courteney Cox appeared in its promotions, and the company sponsored golf events and a McLaren Formula 1 team. OneFlight’s annual galas included celebrity appearances and performances; former employees estimated the events cost millions of dollars.

The PGA Tour said it had ended its relationship with OneFlight amid the allegations, and McLaren suspended its sponsorship. The company had also been a partner of TGL, the golf league backed by Tiger Woods.

Rajput founded OneFlight in 2010, two years after leaving federal prison. He had pleaded guilty in 2006 to two counts of failing to pay taxes while operating a Colorado mortgage business. Court records show he served 16 months in prison. Former employees said Rajput controlled company decisions closely and remained focused on sales and the firm’s image as its finances worsened.

In September, a OneFlight employee’s resignation email, reported by an aviation trade publication, cited difficulties paying operators and damage to relationships with customers and vendors. The company’s human resources vice president acknowledged financial and operational issues in a reply to staff, but said leadership was working to improve the company’s position. Rajput separately told the trade publication that the business was sound.

One customer’s lawsuit says he and his wife were waiting in Minnesota on Sept. 16 for a OneFlight-arranged flight to Florida that never arrived. The complaint alleges the couple was not warned that the flight would be canceled or told about the company’s financial problems.

Rajput could not be reached for comment. His attorney declined an interview request and did not answer questions. The FBI declined to comment on whether it was investigating the company. The lawsuits remain allegations, and it is not clear whether any criminal investigation has been opened.