Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, indicted in US, accused of bank fraud, money laundering, using his airline as a front for fraudulent activities
Nigerian billionaire and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has been indicted in the United States....
Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, indicted in US, accused of bank fraud, money laundering, using his airline as a front for fraudulent activities
Nigerian billionaire and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has been indicted in the United States on charges of obstruction of justice.
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The indictment accuses Onyema of using his airline as a front for fraudulent activities and submitting false documents to block an investigation into earlier charges of bank fraud and money laundering.
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The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Ryan K. Buchanan, stated that Onyema, along with Air Peace’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, was involved in a scheme that targeted the U.S. banking system. The allegations claim that between 2010 and 2018, Onyema transferred $44.9 million from foreign sources into U.S. accounts and used falsified documents to justify the transactions.
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The transactions were purportedly for the purchase of Boeing 737 aircraft for Air Peace, but U.S. authorities allege that the supporting documents were fake and that the company involved, Springfield Aviation, was owned by Onyema himself, with no legitimate connection to aviation.
Onyema and Eghagha had previously been indicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, credit application fraud, and money laundering. The new charges accuse them of obstructing justice by submitting backdated contracts to mislead investigators and unfreeze bank accounts.
Federal agencies including the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations are continuing the investigation. Special Agent Lisa Fontanette from the IRS emphasized the importance of dismantling criminal threats through coordinated efforts, while DEA’s Robert J. Murphy reaffirmed the agency’s dedication to holding those involved in financial crimes accountable.
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Despite the allegations, a spokesperson for Air Peace told Premium Times that the new charges are merely a recycling of old accusations, and that Onyema’s legal team will respond formally in due time.
Both Onyema and Eghagha remain innocent until proven guilty, and the case continues to unfold as U.S. authorities push forward with their investigation.
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