Onyema’s flight of honour, patriotism hits storm in $20 million alleged bank fraud

 

• Allegations strange and unfounded. Not in line with my character as a person and businessman

 

BY KAZIE UKO

Air Peace chairman and CEO, Allen Onyema, who has been in the news recently for the right cause, owing to his exemplary flight of honour and patriotism with his intervention in the xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa, has hit the storm.

A scathing report by the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia published Friday accused the Air Peace boss of bank fraud and money laundering for moving more than $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts, using false documents.

But Onyema, who won national acclaim for donating his aircraft to fly hundreds of stranded Nigerian victims of recent xenophobic attack in South Africa, safely home, promptly denied the allegations by the US Department of Justice, describing it as strange and unfounded, and not in line with his character as a person and businessman. He vowed to vigorously defend himself in court.

Air Peace volunteers aircraft to evacuate stranded Nigerian victims of xenophobia

A statement from Onyema’s solicitors, A.O. Alegeh & Co., Legal Practitioners, stated that the Air Peace CEO denied all the allegations and looks forward to an opportunity to rebut these allegations in Court.

“We hereby state that he (Onyema) strongly denies and will vigorously defend himself against the allegations made against him by the US Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia in relation to purchase of aircraft, aircraft spares and aircraft maintenance. None of the allegations involve any third-party funds but relate to his funds utilised in the airline business. There is no allegation that any Bank (in the United States, Nigeria or elsewhere), Company or individual suffered any financial or any loss whatsoever,” the statement said.

The lawyers noted that Onyema “has a track record built on honesty and integrity and will take all necessary steps to clear his good name and hard-earned reputation. He looks forward to an opportunity to rebut these allegations in Court.”

In the same vein, the solicitors said the Executive Director, Air Peace Limited, Mrs. Ejiro Eghagha, who was also indicted in the report, had equally denied same allegations and would vigorously defend herself against the allegations in court.

US Attorney Byung J. ‘BJay’ Pak, in aspect of the allegations brought before the court, states as follows: “Beginning in approximately May 2016, Onyema, together with Eghagha, allegedly used a series of export letters of credit to cause banks to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts controlled by Onyema.  The letters of credit were purportedly to fund the purchase of five separate Boeing 737 passenger planes by Air Peace.  The letters were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals proving that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.

“However, the supporting documents were fake — Springfield Aviation Company LLC, which is owned by Onyema and managed by a person with no connection to the aviation business, never owned the aircraft, and the company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist.  Eghagha allegedly participated in this scheme as well, directing the Springfield Aviation manager to sign and send false documents to banks and even using the manager’s identity to further the fraud.  After Onyema received the money in the United States, he allegedly laundered over $16 million of the proceeds of the fraud by transferring it to other accounts.

“Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 56, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 37, of Lagos, Nigeria, were indicted on November 19, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud, and three counts of credit application fraud.  Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money laundering, and Eghagha was charged with one count of aggravated identity theft.”

The report, however, informs the public to see the charges as allegations as the defendants, Onyema and Eghagha, are still presumed innocent of the charges. “The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial,” it clarified.

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