A U.S. court has acquitted Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, of $20 million fraud charges, marking a major legal victory for the Nigerian airline executive.
A U.S. District Court in Atlanta, Georgia has acquitted Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace, of all charges concerning an alleged $20 million bank fraud filed by the U.S. government.
The allegations originated from claims that Onyema transferred suspicious funds from Nigeria to American bank accounts between 2017 and 2018, allegedly concealed as payments for aircraft purchases.
Onyema, who has consistently asserted his innocence, was declared wanted in the United States after facing 35 counts of bank fraud and money laundering charges in 2019.
The airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, was also implicated in the case and similarly declared wanted.
After years of investigation by multiple American government agencies, the court concluded that no bank incurred any losses in the case.
Ebony Mayfield, a former employee of Springfield Aviation Company Inc., received probation and was fined $4,000 after pleading guilty to one count in the indictment related to the case.
According to a statement from Augustine Alegeh & Co., the legal team representing Onyema, Mayfield received the minimum sentence allowable under U.S. law. Her penalty followed her inability to account for several Letters of Credit used in acquiring aircraft for Air Peace during a jury trial.
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Our clients have never obtained loans or credit from any American bank, and Mayfield has not been paid $20,000 at any time to engage in fraudulent activities, contrary to some circulating rumors.
No financial loss or damage of any kind was incurred by any third party. The American government acknowledged in court that no bank experienced a financial loss related to the case.
“It clarified that Mayfield, like other staff at Springfield Aviation Company Inc., received only her bi-weekly salary and/or allowances.”
Our clients assert their innocence in this matter, stating that all actions related to the Letters of Credit were conducted in good faith and with legitimate funds.
All the aircraft involved were imported to Nigeria and used in Air Peace Limited’s operations. No one was harmed, no funds were lost by anyone, and there was absolutely no criminal intent.
“The stance of our client has been evaluated by several law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, and no evidence of criminal activity has been found against them. Our clients remain steadfast in asserting their innocence,” the firm stated.
