The United States Justice Department has reopened the legal case against Allen Onyema, Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline. Onyema faces fresh charges, including obstruction of justice, in connection with allegations of bank fraud and money laundering. According to a statement released by the Justice Department, the charges stem from Onyema’s alleged submission of false documents in an attempt to end an earlier investigation.
Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, has also been implicated. The Justice Department’s statement claims that Eghagha took part in the obstruction scheme, as well as the initial bank fraud charges. “After allegedly using his airline company as a cover to commit fraud on the United States’ banking system, Onyema, along with his co-defendant, allegedly committed additional crimes of fraud in a failed attempt to derail the government’s investigation of his conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.
The fresh charges follow allegations that, between 2010 and 2018, Onyema transferred more than $44.9 million into various Atlanta-based accounts from international sources. Starting in 2016, Onyema and Eghagha are accused of using export letters of credit to transfer over $20 million into these accounts. The funds were allegedly intended for the purchase of Boeing 737 planes by Air Peace, with documents such as purchase agreements and bills of sale being submitted to U.S. banks. These documents claimed that Air Peace was purchasing aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a Georgia-registered business.
Onyema has consistently denied all allegations. In response to the revived charges, he emphasized his innocence, stating that the accusations are baseless. “I maintain that I have done nothing wrong, and I will prove my innocence in court,” Onyema has repeatedly affirmed.
The Justice Department clarified that the charges in the indictment are not a declaration of guilt. “The indictments only contain charges, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the statement read. It added that the burden is on the government to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Special agents involved in the investigation have emphasized the seriousness of the charges. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Atlanta Division, said, “The diligence of our federal investigative partners revealed the defendants’ alleged obstruction scheme, making it possible for the defendants to be held accountable for their aggravated conduct of attempting to impede a federal investigation.”
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Lisa Fontanette, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office, added, “Allegedly, Onyema and his accomplices fraudulently used the U.S. banking system in an effort to hide the source of their ill-gotten money.” She highlighted the efforts of IRS special agents as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces to address such threats.
Steven N. Schrank, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta, further stressed the importance of accountability in such cases. “The charges announced today demonstrate the criticality of diligence and truth in criminal justice proceedings. HSI and our partners are committed to pursuing those who seek to exploit our nation’s financial system and any efforts to cover up illegal activity,” he said.
In contrast, Onyema’s legal team has continued to defend their client, pointing out that previous court statements had cleared him and Air Peace of any wrongdoing. A statement from A.O. Alegeh & Co Legal Practitioners & Notaries Public, representing Onyema and Eghagha, emphasized that no bank suffered any losses from the transactions.
The case against Onyema and his co-defendant remains a subject of international attention, with implications for both the aviation industry and the ongoing battle against financial crimes. The legal proceedings in the U.S. will be closely watched as the government seeks to prove the charges against Onyema and Eghagha.