CEO of Air Peace Facing Obstruction of Justice Charges in the United States
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Air Peace, a private Nigerian airline with controlling shares in the newly formed LIAT 2020, is defending two senior officials, including the chief executive officer, Dr. Allen Onyema, who have been indicted by United States authorities for obstruction of justice.
In a statement posted on its official X page , Air Peace, which has invested close to US$65 million in the Antigua-based airline, said it understands that the ongoing legal proceedings may have raised concerns.
“These charges levelled against our post-holders are part of an extended legal process stemming from earlier accusations of financial misdeeds that date back several years,” the statement said.
Last week, the U Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia said that Onyema, the chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, had 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.
The airline’s chief of administration and finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, 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 US. 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.”
According to Buchanan, the superseding indictment, and other information presented in court, Onyema, a Nigerian citizen and businessman, travelled frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts.
He said moe than US$44.9 million was allegedly transferred into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources.
The Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, Robert J. Murphy, said these cases represent the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to identify and hold accountable those who engaged in fraud and money laundering.
“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.
She said the 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.”
In its statemen, Air Peace said its two senior officials remain innocent of the charges filed against them by the US Department of Justice (DOJ, adding that the charges stemmed from earlier accusations. It assured its customers that the court processes would not affect the airline’s operations.
“Air Peace Limited is aware of the recent media reports concerning our esteemed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, and Chief of Finance and Administration, Mrs Ejiro Eghagha, in line with the latest legal charges filed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“We understand that this may have raised concerns, and we wish to address these reports directly. These charges levelled against our post-holders are part of an extended legal process stemming from earlier accusations of financial misdeeds that date back several years.
“While the charges have been expanded, it is essential to emphasise that both Dr. Onyema and Mrs. Eghagha remain innocent and these are mere allegations, and the case is still in court.”
The airline said that its legal team is fully engaged with the matter and is working tirelessly to ensure that justice prevails.
“We remain confident that, through due process, the truth will be revealed, and our CEO and co-defendant will be exonerated,” it said, adding “it is important to note that Dr. Onyema and his legal team have consistently cooperated with authorities throughout this process, and Air Peace continues to operate without disruption, upholding our commitment to delivering top-notch services to our valued customers.
“We want to reassure the public that these legal proceedings will not impact the safety, reliability, or day-to-day operations of Air Peace. “
