Allen Onyema, the chairman, CEO, and founder of the Nigerian airline Air Peace, has been charged with fraud and obstruction of justice.
The indictment, brought forward by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, outlines allegations against Onyema and shows the seriousness of the charges.
The accusations against Onyema are not surprising, as he has seen multiple charges against him in recent years.
Background and Previous Allegations
Onyema has been under scrutiny by the U.S. authorities for several years. The first dates back to 2010 to 2018 when he was accused of charges related to financial misconduct, which have been a focus of U.S. authorities’ inquiries.
He was accused of being part of a scheme that moved more than 44 million dollars from Nigeria through U.S. bank accounts using false documents to purchase aircraft for Airpeace.
The U.S. Department of Justice claims he did not act alone and had his co-defendant Ejiroghene Eghagha falsify letters of credit to help.
The charges against them in 2019 included one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiring to commit fraud involving credit applications, and three counts of credit application fraud. Apart from that, Onyema was accused of 27 counts of money laundering and Eghagha of one count of aggravated identity theft.
Onyema, known for his role in expanding Air Peace’s reach within Nigeria and across Africa, has previously denied any wrongdoing.
New Charges
Now, he is being accused, along with his co-defendant, Eghagha.
It is a case of attempting to obstruct justice by influencing and intimidating witnesses involved in the investigation.
If found guilty, Onyema could face legal repercussions, including potential imprisonment.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Ryan K. Buchanan, emphasised the charges, stating, “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.”
Steven N. Schrank, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama, also stated. “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”.
The statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office means the Department is bent on holding Onyema accountable for any alleged wrongdoing, both past and present.
What do you need to know?
This recent charge of obstruction of justice adds a new case to the ongoing legal challenges he faces.
This case as it continues will likely draw continued attention from both the Nigerian and international communities, given Onyema’s well-known role in the airline industry and the implications for Air Peace’s operations.
