The pilot accused of stealing nearly $800,000 from John Travolta’s company is pushing to have the actor and his personal trainer testify in court and hand over financial records, according to reports.
Jean Lacruz-Romero, 29, was arrested in March 2024 and charged with grand theft, organized fraud, and money laundering—though the latter charge has since been dropped. Prosecutors argued he should remain in custody, citing his status as a pilot and non-U.S. citizen, which they claimed made him a flight risk. Despite this, the court released him on a $500,000 bond with GPS monitoring.
A second man, Jorden Coursey, was also charged with grand theft. He pleaded not guilty and was similarly released on bond. Both worked as pilots for Travolta’s company, Constellation Productions. Prosecutors allege that the two used company credit cards meant for fuel purchases to carry out a fraudulent scheme. Jean is accused of submitting inflated invoices paid to Lux Fuels—a company owned by his wife—with those funds allegedly funneled into another company he owned, JPL Aviation.
The alleged fraud was uncovered after an employee noticed unusually high fuel costs.
Court documents reveal that in January, Jean listed Travolta and his personal trainer, James Marino, as potential witnesses. Prosecutors pushed back, saying neither had direct knowledge of the fraud and accused Jean of using the witness list to harass or inconvenience them. They requested a closed hearing to address the matter.
Jean’s lawyer denied any intent to harass and argued that Travolta, as the sole officer of Constellation Productions, was directly involved in approving fuel-related expenses. He emphasized Travolta’s close working relationship with Jean and Jorden, highlighting that the actor frequently traveled with them and oversaw many aspects of the flights, including maintenance and fuel arrangements.
James Marino, Travolta’s trainer and regular travel companion, was also said to have relevant knowledge regarding communications, billing, and accommodations.
A final decision on whether Travolta and Marino will remain on the witness list has not yet been made.
A lawyer representing Constellation Productions stated that James Marino has no relevant knowledge of the case. Meanwhile, Jean has filed a motion demanding access to financial records, including American Express statements from 2021 to 2023 linked to company credit cards. The court has not yet ruled on that request.
