U.S. Government Files New Charges Against Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema for Obstruction of Justice

In a recent legal development, the U.S. government has filed new charges against Allen Onyema, the founder and CEO of Nigerian airline Air Peace, for obstruction of justice. The allegations claim that Onyema submitted false documents in an effort to interfere with an ongoing investigation related to previous charges of bank fraud and money laundering.

The airline's Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, also faces charges for his involvement in the alleged obstruction and earlier fraudulent activities. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, both Onyema and Eghagha were charged on October 8, 2024, in a superseding indictment that includes additional counts of obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan accused Onyema of using Air Peace as a front for fraudulent schemes that targeted the U.S. banking system. Buchanan stated that when authorities began investigating these activities, Onyema and Eghagha allegedly attempted to derail the investigation by submitting falsified documents.

"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," Buchanan said.

The diligence of federal investigators uncovered the alleged scheme, enabling authorities to hold the defendants accountable for attempting to obstruct the investigation.

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, reiterated the agency's dedication to prosecuting individuals involved in fraud and money laundering. IRS Special Agent Lisa Fontanette emphasized that the latest indictment highlights the continuous efforts of law enforcement, especially through programs like the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), to address criminal threats.

The legal troubles began with allegations that Onyema orchestrated a scheme from 2010 to 2018, during which he transferred over $44.9 million from foreign sources into U.S. bank accounts. Starting in May 2016, Onyema and Eghagha allegedly used falsified export letters of credit to transfer more than $20 million to Onyema's U.S. accounts under the pretense of purchasing Boeing 737 aircraft for Air Peace. However, the documents supporting these transactions were reportedly fraudulent, and the involved company, Springfield Aviation, was allegedly owned by Onyema with no genuine ties to aviation.

In 2019, as the investigation unfolded, Onyema and Eghagha purportedly conspired to submit a backdated contract to U.S. authorities in an effort to mislead the probe and unfreeze bank accounts.

The initial indictment, filed in November 2019, included charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, credit application fraud, and money laundering. The recent charges now extend to obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The investigation is ongoing, and Onyema and Eghagha remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.