Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema has declared his innocence following charges of obstruction of justice by US authorities, vowing to fight the allegations and clear his name.
Air Peace has refuted allegations of any misconduct by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Allen Onyema, as well as the Chief of Finance and Administration, Mrs. Ejiro Eghagha. They have been charged by the United States for allegedly obstructing justice.
According to a statement from the US Attorney’s Office, Onyema faces charges in a superseding indictment for obstruction of justice. He is accused of submitting false documents to the government in an attempt to halt an investigation into previous bank fraud and money laundering allegations against him.
Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, has also been charged for allegedly being involved in both the obstruction scheme and the earlier bank fraud charges.
This is in addition to a previous $20 million bank fraud charge against Onyema that has been ongoing for the past five years.
In 2019, he was accused of providing falsified documents to U.S. authorities in an attempt to halt the investigation and unfreeze his bank accounts related to the alleged $20 million bank fraud.
“U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan stated that Onyema allegedly exploited his airline company to perpetrate fraud against the United States banking system, and together with his co-defendant, he is accused of committing further fraudulent acts in an unsuccessful effort to obstruct the government’s investigation of his actions.”
In the updated indictment, Onyema was accused of illegally transferring over $44.9 million into his Atlanta-based accounts from international sources between 2010 and 2018.
Onyema and Eghagha were also accused of fraudulently securing export letters of credit to facilitate the transfer of funds from a Nigerian bank account to Onyema’s Atlanta, Georgia-based company, Springfield Aviation LLC, during the period between 2016 and 2017.
The letters of credit were allegedly intended to finance Air Peace’s acquisition of five distinct Boeing 737 passenger planes, backed by documents like purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals.
The documents claimed to demonstrate that Air Peace was buying the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a company registered in Georgia.
“According to the statement, it was alleged that the supporting documents were counterfeit—Springfield Aviation Company LLC was owned by Onyema and managed on his behalf by someone unconnected with the aviation industry. Additionally, Springfield Aviation never possessed any aircraft, and there was no existence of a company purportedly responsible for drafting the appraisals.”
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“Onyema and Eghagha are still considered innocent.”
In response to the recent accusation of ‘justice obstruction’ against its CEO, Onyema, and Chief of Finance and Administration, Eghagha, Air Peace released a statement on Sunday asserting that both individuals are innocent of all charges.
The airline pointed out that the new charges against Onyema and Eghagha are part of an ongoing legal process originating from earlier allegations of financial misconduct dating back several years.
It stated that its legal team is fully committed to the matter and is working tirelessly to ensure justice prevails.
The statement says, “Air Peace Limited is aware of the recent media coverage regarding our respected Chairman and CEO, Dr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, as well as our Chief of Finance and Administration, Mrs. Ejiro Eghagha due to new legal charges filed by the U.S. Department of Justice. We recognize that this might have caused concern among many people and want to address these reports directly.”
These charges against our current officeholders are part of a lengthy legal process originating from previous allegations of financial misconduct dating back several years.
Although the charges have been broadened, it’s important to stress that Dr. Onyema and Mrs. Eghagha are still presumed innocent as these allegations await court adjudication. Our legal team is actively involved with this matter and diligently striving to ensure justice prevails. We firmly believe that through due process, the truth will emerge, clearing our CEO and co-defendant of any wrongdoing.
Dr. Onyema and his legal team have consistently collaborated with authorities during this process, ensuring that Air Peace remains fully operational without any disruptions while maintaining our promise to provide exceptional service to our valued customers.
We want to assure the public that these legal matters will not affect Air Peace’s safety, reliability, or daily operations. Our staff remains dedicated and focused as we strive to offer you the best aviation experience in Nigeria and beyond.
We appreciate our customers and the flying public for their ongoing support and understanding during this time, and we are dedicated to serving you with excellence and integrity.
