Onyema was accused of submitting false documents to halt an investigation into earlier bank fraud and money laundering charges.
The airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, is also charged for his role in the obstruction and previous bank fraud schemes.
The US Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia in a statement on Friday said on 8 October 2024, they were both charged in a superseding indictment alleging an additional count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said the Air Peace CEO allegedly used his airline as a front for fraudulent activities targeting the U.S. banking system.
Buchanan also alleged that when the investigation into the actions intensified, both Onyema and Eghagha reportedly tried to obstruct justice by presenting falsified documents.
“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,”
“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,” he said.
Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, Atlanta Division, Robert J. Murphy, stressed the DEA’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for fraud and money laundering.
Internal Revenue Service, IRS, Special Agent Lisa Fontanette added that the superseding indictment reflects the persistent efforts of law enforcement to dismantle criminal threats, especially through task forces like the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
The charges stem from Onyema’s alleged involvement in a scheme where, between 2010 and 2018, he transferred over $44.9 million from foreign sources into his U.S. bank accounts.
Beginning in May 2016, he and Eghagha reportedly used falsified export letters of credit to transfer more than $20 million into Onyema’s U.S. accounts under the guise of purchasing Boeing 737 aircraft for Air Peace.
However, the documents supporting the transactions were allegedly fake and Springfield Aviation, the company involved, was reportedly owned by Onyema and had no real connection to aviation.
In 2019, when Onyema learnt he was under investigation, he and Eghagha allegedly conspired to submit a backdated contract to U.S. authorities to mislead the investigation and unfreeze bank accounts.
Onyema and Eghagha were first indicted in November 2019 on charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, credit application fraud, and money laundering.
The recent indictment adds charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The case remains under investigation, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court..
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Tpain should show him the way naw.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion in this is, if people can invest what they have stolen from Nigerian government, we can have a shot at improving our economy since EFCC has proven themselves inept. All they do is collect 1% of what you have stolen, then let you go.
If all our politicians are forced to invest all the stolen money, at least jobs will be created.
Personally, I hate crime, but if Tpain can be let go, then they should extend the grace
The US are harsh on fraud, unlike the UK. I hope to God they are innocent!
ReplyDeleteLet justice take it's course , if found guilty. And others take a cue from it.
ReplyDeleteHiaaaaa na waoooo
ReplyDeleteThe case is still under investigation let see how it goes ....I just hope they are innocent oo..
Hello iya Boys
I knew the west would never let this man be. I knew they would never forgive him for flying Air peace into the Uk. For those of u that wud say that was Uk n this is US, i kno what m saying. Wen i say west i mean Europe n US. Cos last time i checked, they have each other’s back
ReplyDeleteHe is spoiling their ticket market with cheaper flights. They want to take him out.
ReplyDeleteMost of the money will come from Nigerian politicians mark my words. Let them jail them, trace the money and indict all
ReplyDelete