Allen Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged in a superseding indictment with obstruction of justice.

Updated October 11, 2024

ATLANTA – Allen Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged in a superseding indictment with obstruction of justice for submitting false documents to the government in an effort to end an investigation of him that resulted in earlier charges of bank fraud and money laundering. Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, was also charged for participating in the obstruction scheme, as well as in the earlier bank fraud counts.

“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 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.”

“These cases represent the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engaged in fraud and money laundering,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.

“Allegedly, Onyema and his accomplices fraudulently used the U.S. banking system in an effort to hide the source of their ill-gotten money,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “Today’s superseding indictment is indicative of the dedication IRS-CI special agents and our law enforcement partners have, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, to neutralize threats to the United States from criminal organizations.”

“The charges announced today demonstrate the criticality of diligence and truth in criminal justice proceedings,” said Steven N. Schrank, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta that covers Georgia and Alabama. “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.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the superseding indictment, and other information presented in court: Onyema, a Nigerian citizen and businessman, is the CEO and Chairman of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline founded in 2013. Between 2010 and 2018, Onyema travelled frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts. More than $44.9 million was allegedly transferred into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources.

Beginning in approximately May 2016, Onyema, together with Eghagha, allegedly used a series of export letters of credit to cause banks to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts controlled by Onyema. The letters of credit were purportedly to fund the purchase of five separate Boeing 737 passenger planes by Air Peace and were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals. The documents purported to show that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.

However, the supporting documents were allegedly fake – Springfield Aviation Company LLC was owned by Onyema and managed on his behalf by a person with no connection to the aviation business, and Springfield Aviation never owned the aircraft. The company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist. Eghagha allegedly participated in this scheme as well, directing the Springfield Aviation manager to sign and send false documents to banks and even using the manager’s identity to further the fraud. After Onyema received the money in the United States, he allegedly laundered over $16 million of the proceeds of the fraud by transferring it to other accounts.

In May 2019, upon discovering that he was under investigation in the Northern District of Georgia for bank fraud, Onyema and Eghagha allegedly directed the Springfield Aviation manager to sign a key business contract, but also specifically told her to not date the document. In October 2019, Onyema allegedly caused his attorneys to present that same contract, now falsely dated as being signed on May 5, 2016 (prior to the bank fraud that began in 2016), to the government in an effort to stop the investigation and unfreeze his bank accounts.

Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 61, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 42, of Lagos, Nigeria, were indicted on November 19, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud, and three counts of credit application fraud. Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money laundering, and Eghagha was charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. On October 8, 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 case is criminal action number 1:19-CR-464.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, and Department of Treasury are investigating this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Christopher J. Huber are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/ceo-nigerian-airline-and-co-defendant-indicted-obstruction-justice

They've come for Allen again. Once you talk, they will open your file

What a country! Almost all wealthy people are criminals howsoever in some places. This is just bad for our image.

Some people go dey claim Witch hunt but still na still. All the Best to everyone.

Hmmm

chopnaira:
Allen Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged in a superseding indictment with obstruction of justice.

Updated October 11, 2024



https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/ceo-nigerian-airline-and-co-defendant-indicted-obstruction-justice

Onyema belongs in jail

Tinubu U shall not live to witness 2025

Obstruction of justice, while looters like thifnubu they buy new pj with our money

Hmmmm

I hope it's not real.

Might be a reopen case of his past, while so e element are trying to bring him down because of his company and he stand as a gallant rival in the aviation industry.

Nobody is holy even our president is once a drug lord

Future Nigerian president...


This's the tested and trusted path to succeed in getting accepted into the top of Nigerian political echelon.

Not again . They could not hold him in the initial charge because no American bank suffered losses. These people dont give up

Hopefully, this doesn't affect the Airline business.

It's tough out there.

Make dem allow this man rest na.

Hmnn

K

Just wow!!!

Not just that. He has been indicted for fraud and money laundering also. His accomplice was arrested Oct 6th.

The fraud case started in 2019. There are nairaland threads on it, where he was first accused of money laundering and fraud.

Well, he has been indicted for that. In addition to that, He has also been indicted for obstruction of Justice for trying to cover up. This is a superseding indictment .ie. a more grievous crime. He will be arrested and arraigned and should appear in court to defend himself. These are federal charges. The US govt wont indict if they haven't caught u well. Onyeama will do jail.

Read more on justice.gov: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/ceo-nigerian-airline-and-co-defendant-indicted-obstruction-justice

I told you people for a while now that the man is still wanted but the NL IPOB retards claimed that the case was settled.
Imagine if this had happened to Dangote and Buhari refused to extradite him, the Nigerian press will remind us in daily basis that it's because Dangote is a Northerner.
The bias Nigeria press has been silent on this story for a long time.

justice. gov/usao-ndga/pr/ceo-nigerian-airline-and-co-defendant-indicted-obstruction-justice

I like Oyenma but i hate the double standard and the wailing that would have originated from the Igbos if this man had been a Northerner or from the SW.

Which hunt? Witch-hunt? Which one?

Sweetphronesis:
Not just that. He has been indicted for fraud and money laundering. And its a federal case, Theyve concluded the investigation, theyve gone to court, The US government has won the case against him. He will be arrested whenevr he sets foot in the US. His accomplice was arrested Oct 6th 2024.

Na to avoid US be that

Well??

Yfg

This man stole money meant for public use to start his airline and no one is talking about that.
Im sure that mama piss and Jonathan have a lot of stake in that Airline.

Someone is trying to put him in his place. If he do anyhow dem extradite am sharply. This people are ill gotten wealth na 5&6

chopnaira:
Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This is all I need to know

YesDaddyTill203:
I told you people for a while now that the man is still wanted but the NL IPOB retards claimed that the case was settled.
Imagine if this had happened to Dangote and Buhari refused to extradite him, the Nigerian press will remind us in daily basis that it's because Dangote is a Northerner.
Tje bias Nigeria press has been silent on this story for a long time.

justice. gov/usao-ndga/pr/ceo-nigerian-airline-and-co-defendant-indicted-obstruction-justice

I like Oyenma but i hate the double standard and the wailing that would have originated from the Igbos if this man had been a Northerner or from the SW.

I always say it that politicians only play the tribal card to their profit. The real reason why Onyema and those Igbo "billionaires" have not been arrested for their crimes is because they played their politics withe Nigerian big wigs well. If they were to be yahoo boys dem for don send EFCC to raid their houses at Night and extradict them to the US or charge dem to court in Nigeria and jail them.

ok

Omo the man own don finish.

Make baba no just use mistake enter USA to avoid stories that touch.

They are going to freeze his account if anything is still left of the crime proceeds.

this is why humility is good,I can remember when the whites wanted to take this guy out of business the first time,I was one of those who meet with musa then in Canada shortly before he was appointed in Nigeria then I meet with the then aviation minister ,i urged them to assist this guy because he was all nigeria had when it came to the international leg,they refused in the beginning because of tribal politics but musa said when he gets to know Nigeria he would speak with him and decide from there.he kept his word and they became friends,it was the northern cabal that defended oyema with there western connections.as soon as the rope was off oyema neck he began his display of arrogance,insulting everybody that helped him even calling a revered Northern emir his boy.in my mind i said his fall was eminent,those who helped him called me and said look at who you where beging for,I told them I didn't know him that much but what ever they decided as pay back let him have it,they made a request of me,I granted it on the spot hence why he sees hell in my region after spending money like a mad man,since he thinks money is his god.now the west is back for him,I wonder who will save him now,that money you are making noise will soon be gone.in this life as I grow I have learnt,just be humble and you will be fine.

Abeg make dem rest jare.

Chicago University did worse in favor of T-pain even when T-pain could not defend his certificate and the issue died down.