U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia- CEO of Nigerian Airline and Co-Defendant Indicted for Obstruction of Justice
Allen Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has 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. Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, was also charged for participating in the obstruction scheme, as well as in the earlier bank fraud counts.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP
“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 U.S. 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.”
“These cases represent the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engaged in fraud and money laundering,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
“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. “Today’s 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.”
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP
“The charges announced today demonstrate the criticality of diligence and truth in criminal justice proceedings,” said Steven N. Schrank, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta that covers Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and our partners are committed to pursuing those who seek to exploit our nation’s financial system and any efforts to cover up illegal activity.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the superseding indictment, and other information presented in court: Onyema, a Nigerian citizen and businessman, is the CEO and Chairman of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline founded in 2013. Between 2010 and 2018, Onyema travelled frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts. More than $44.9 million was allegedly transferred into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP
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 and were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals. The documents purported to show that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.
However, the supporting documents were allegedly fake – Springfield Aviation Company LLC was owned by Onyema and managed on his behalf by a person with no connection to the aviation business, and Springfield Aviation never owned the aircraft. 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.
In May 2019, upon discovering that he was under investigation in the Northern District of Georgia for bank fraud, Onyema and Eghagha allegedly directed the Springfield Aviation manager to sign a key business contract, but also specifically told her to not date the document. In October 2019, Onyema allegedly caused his attorneys to present that same contract, now falsely dated as being signed on May 5, 2016 (prior to the bank fraud that began in 2016), to the government in an effort to stop the investigation and unfreeze his bank accounts.
Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 61, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 42, 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. On October 8, 2024, they were both charged in a superseding indictment alleging an additional count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. The case is criminal action number 1:19-CR-464.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, and Department of Treasury are investigating this case.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATS APP GROUP
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Christopher J. Huber are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Updated October 11, 2024
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
The writing is on the wall for him and his investments
I hope the people booking flights on LIAT take note
In the near future, LIAT 2020 will without warning suddenly and out of the blue stop operating and the jet planes will mysteriously disappear from the Caribbean. This CEO will be arrested somewhere when he travels and when that happens, LIAT20 will end abruptly. Mark my words.
How might that impact LIAT?
Gaston brown, why do you keep getting involved with These types of people why.
Can’t say you didn’t know, he was indicted since November 19th 2019.
This is an amended indictment in 2024.
And here we are agaon as a country, with our out of touch Prime Minister going headlong into dodgy partnerships without doing any due diligence, and not seeking the correct advice from independent professionals.
I despair for Antigua & Barbuda at times.
So many Antiguans warned Browne not to dive into this dodgy collaboration head first; but no, he thought he knew better than the public he’s supposed to serve.
People judged by the company they keep!
BROWNE, YOU ARE OUR SERVANT, NOT OUR MASTER … YOU’D DO WELL TO REMEMBER DAT!!!
This is not new of America and the Western world to Africa. It took Nigeria/Airpeace decades to get a landing permit in the UK airports which resulted in cutting airfare from 13,000,000 Naira to 1,5000,000 just over a year ago. While their landing application is still being processed in America, fearing that the fate of BA will befall AA, America have resuscitated those frivolous charges.
The money claimed to have been laundered came from Nigeria, and Nigeria has not complained, what is America’s business there?
Well well it will be interesting to hear what excuse the laborites has to say about this one… let’s see hmmmm maybe they will say it’s fake news and we should be grateful to Gaston brown for his vision lol… the only vision Gaston Brown has is to find these criminal elements around the world to invest with. Soon America is going to perceive us as a safe haven for fraudsters…..
Look out for the ALP MERCENARIES and SPIN DOCTORS; as we speak, they are being given their instruments. I bet that that the Money-Hawk has our money hidden in that scheme. All the Nigerian’s assets will eventually be frozen and that includes LIAT, along with the 20% that belongs to the HAWK. UPP’s business is nothing compared to this.
Can’t believe my people are so dumb.
Do you all think for one goddam minute that Gaston Brown is making bad decisions by going into business with these people?
NO!! He knows exactly what he is doing. He is joining with crooks knowingly so that he too can become as wealthy as them. This is no bad decision that was innocently made. The is outright greed and arrogance that he can make decisions as he feels and he will not be brought to account for them.
Gaston Browne, you need to take warning and look at the outcome of men who like you thought they were indestructible.
First off, this businessman is no different than many business executives #who’re doing business in America, have committed similar crimes of he’s accused of, and have not been prosecuted. Simple reason, Americans do not take kindly, to anyone who is just as, or even more cunning and intelligent than they are, and this resentment is amplified and ramped up ten(10) times, if you are a recent [foreinger] to the Land Of Opportunity; #Dis_Yah_Ameeica!
Now with that said, this Nigerian businessman along with his other executives that runs his companies, would’ve have been knowledgeable of the stigmas, some negative, attached to NIGERIANS, and in particular the BILLIONAIRES! Did someone mention the word SCAMMERS, and Nigerians in the same breath?
It’s interesting, that the European authorities are not going after this Nigerian like the Americans? Or are they waiting on the Americans to do their dirty work first?
Regardless, this new development MUST be of concern to the Antiguan. Barbudan & REDONDAN people, since, it’s their monies not Gaston Browne, MP nor the other #Bumbling_Bureaucrats in the Government, that has been invested with AIR PEACE; and, even if Air Peace is affected negatively by the outcome of these allegations. and, LIAT 2030 runs into some form of TURBULENCE, neither Gaston Browne, PM nor any other LIAT 2020 Executives will be charged and brought before Our Courts for INVESTIGATIONS to LITIGATIONS.
This is #NEXT_LEVEL Law Enforcement, on a #NEXT_🆙_LEVEL!
#Yes_Indeed!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’Ole Dutty Peg 🦉Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
Wow! Isn’t this a bitch? Yet a present they have a man who is about to be President in a few weeks time, that the same IRS concludes did this same fraudulent business deals for years in order to grow his brand. A man who was supposed to be sentenced and already in jail since early September, plus a number of other convictions, but to this day seems to be still the only untouchable. America the great.
FRAUD CAPITAL OF THE WORLD …NIGERIA?
Only the:
(a) ‘…Dull and Ignorant:
(b) …Gullible and Greedy: and
(c) …Stupid and Vulnerable’ that may not have been aware that ‘…NIGERIA’ has been universally declared that ‘…NIGERIA’ is the ‘…FRAUD CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.’
Even the US authorities were mindful of their ‘…INNOCENCE.’
CITIZEN’S FEARS
Still, this was insufficient to allay ‘…CITIZEN’S FEARS’ about the nation’s ‘…BUSINESS ENTANGLEMENTS’ with ‘…Nigerian national and Company’ concerned.
LET THEIR BE AIR: …LET THEIR BE PEACE: …LET THEIR BE JUSTICE FOR THE INDICTED.’
LET THEIR BE:
(a) ‘…TRANSACTIONAL TRANSPARENCY: and
(b) …NATIONAL PROSPERITY.’
WALK GOOD.
Gatson Browne just simply doesn’t have the interest of the citizens of A&B at heart, he never did.
The problem has always been the same for us, that when the shit hit the fan, we are the ones to carry the bag..it has always been that way..we have a fool of a PM who love to punch above his pay grade and think he can dance with the big boys..his ego will continue to put our money in harms way, and history has proven that this man doesn’t have a clue about economics or negotiating, because he’s blinded by his own greed and continues to make terrible decisions with our money.
I don’t care if this man dance abroad and enjoys dinning with the big wigs, but not at the peril of our poor people that need help everyday to get their life back together after COVID.
Many warned this man about his foolish decision to partner with Air Peace, but when greed is your master, these are the kind of things that will happen.
We have a bankrupt government because of this man’s folly.
We have over a100mil tied up in Air Peace..let that number sink in folks. So if y’all think this news is a joke and just America being bad minded, y’all have another thing coming.
Crime never pays,never..I don’t care who is doing the crime.
What does YIDA and Air piece have in common ? A) A)ABLP
B)ABLP
C)ABLP
D) ABLP
A Die hard labourites will get this wrong
Giselle Isaac is responsible for this and she needs to step aside. Let me have some applause.
This is nothing more than failure to produce Source of Funds into America. The sort of thing a wealthy Nigerian may do with his own money, in his own country annd within Africa, except what can be done in our parts South of the Equator between our banks cannot go north!
The black African countries just like us have Corresponding banks issues. Moving hard currency – the currency of bribery and corruption- in Africa is easy between themselves, but getting it out to purchase high investment equipment is hard. Air Peace violated and like Our Canadian investor who was targeted by the U.S. He could hire our distinguished Billionaire’s lawyer to get him off on a misdemeanor in exchange for a couple hundred Million USD.
It should not be lost on us that the Caribbean is a hard currency area which we have to ship out as we have no use for that quantum. What better place for movement of hard currency.
Plus Air Peace is competing with America in the USA backyard.
Did anyone noticed that after Gaston Government has stated for 2 years LIAT 2020 is (70%) seventy percent owned by Air Peace
All of a sudden in the application for permission to fly into Guyana the Antigua Government stated LIAT is majorly owned by the Government of Antigua.
None of you the ABLP geniuses questioned what’s the bases for Air Peace getting 70% of LIAT 2020 ownership and now suddenly Antigua is reporting majority ownership.
Study that top dawg
Instead you all up Inna upp
Business..
Spreading propaganda about your opponents..
What you supposed to be studying you not!
You can’t make this stuff up.
Run the country,
Look after its interests.
But nooo
You a study serpent and shuggy!
You are a complete failure!
We need to be rid of you!
Omg!
Geez!
Gosh!
You are annoying ..
You don’t want no viable opposition?
Eh!
You must rule like a emperor?
Pretty soon we gonna find out that the emperor has no clothes!🤔
Gaston and Chet are fully aware of who they are in bed with.
Even Ras Smood and Brixtonian as well as most others has missed the fact that Allen Onyema is holding the …… interest in Air Peace.
Ladies and Gentlemen:Before the Prime Minister went into business with that man from Air Peace. HE was indicted in the State of Georgia,USA. The other person indicted with him,plead guilty.So knowing this,Gaston still went into business bed with him.Now there are fresh sets of charges against that same man,Allen Onyema.Any of his assets that touches US Airspace would be impounded by the USA.WHEN YOU BED DOWN WITH DOGS,YOU WOULD END UP WITH FLEAS.
Here we go again! How many times on this forum have I pointed out that Antigua and Barbuda’s biggest problem is NOT UPP?
Gaston Browne has been lying since he came to office. He makes these deals,when advised otherwise, on the behalf of the PEOPLE of this country, yet we can’t see the agreement. He claims he sold the Alpha Nero for 40 million US; we can’t see the agreement. People, Gaston Browne IS Antigua and Barbuda’s BIGGEST problem. Always involved in some underhanded, shady deal,with nefarious characters,most of whom are in jail.
Where are you Laborites? This is what you should be concerned about. Not UPP. UPP is not the government and whatever discord they have has no effect on the government of this country.
@Rovi. hear! Hear! But you forgot Pringle and Richard Lewis. My problem with all of this is that this PM does not run his personal life like this! You recall some time back when he had a clause requiring some “investor” he rented a house to pay an amount if the rent did not come as agreed. So he jolly well knows that not all risks are to be taken yet when it comes to the people of Antigua and Barbuda’s money, he works at the speed of light and with gay abandon. Our interest and what we MAY lose is of seemingly no concern to him. Yet his many singers, all of whom are noticeably absent concerning this issue, claim he is some kind of Visionary and should be lauded and applauded!
Boy, this country is a crazy place.
@Casual Observer. The usual lies and the ramming of things down Antigua people’s throats that many feel if you don’t just accept it, you hate Antigua instead of the other way around. Of course the latest is calling the Barbuda Airport an International airport. Now Tobago has a class airport, the French side of St. Martin etc. None of them are calling their airports International airports but here we go, quite unnecessarily, calling this an International. We must not put up with these kinds of things because they makes us all seem foolish and uneducated. But then, what else is new? That has always been the intention of ABLP?
and soon we gone find out that the guy is a CIP!!!
Of course he is a CIP investor and an Antigua and Barbuda citizen. And of course we have to protect our CIP citizens even though they may be international fugitives or under indictment.
Mr. Onyema may be hanging out in Jolly Harbour with the Indian banker soon.
It would be interesting in knowing who was the CIP agent who conducted the due diligence on Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema.
Wonder if it’s the same attorney of African parentage who asked me for my Antigua and Barbuda birth certificate after she took my money to pursue a simple legal matter on my behalf
It has been speculated that Mr. Onyema is a bag man for the two principals of Government involved in negotiations and signing the LIAT and Air Peace Agreement.
If Mr. Onyema chooses to remain in Africa beyond the arms of the US government he may face a day in a US Court.
Many African businessmen travel across Africa without a need to travel outside of the continent.
Given the charges in the indictments Air Peace finances will be severely compromised when the US government brings sanctions against Air Peace and its owners.
We’re that to happen, LIAT2020 will soon need another bailout.
Ras Smood:There are many so called business people in Federal Prisons for manipulating the Banking systems in America.The color of his damn skin has no relevance on his indictments in Banking matters.What color is Donald Trump? What color was Bernie Madoff? What color is Sam Bankman-Fried? If you tampered with the Banking Systems in the USA.IT DOES NOT MATTER THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN. WE ARE COMING FOR YOU AND THROW YOU INTO THE SLAMMER.THERE IS WHERE THEY ALL BELONG.
@BEACH BUM…
#The_KEATING_FIVE…What do these three(3) words say to you?
As for Donald Trump, America’s next POTUS, they’ve been after him for forty plus years, and all he got are fines. His kids are billionaires many times over with subsidiaries from Miami to Dubai to Africa to Europe to China.
Now @BEACH BUM, please tell [us] where in my comment did I mention anyone’s HUE of skin?
Next up, the Financial Market/Wall Street Bailout Out by the FEDS in 2008, how many of Smith Barney, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Merryl Lynch etc EXECUTIVES got prosecuted and sent to prison?
Remember, this was a TRILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT.
How many of Chryslers Executives are in prison?
DO YOU WANT TO PAUSE, and do some #FACT_CHECKING?
Let’s not even get into the BUSHES to CIA to IRAN CONTRA to Colin Powell and Weapons of Mass Destruction for IRAQ’s oil.
Now speaking of oil, how many executives from EXXON MOBIL or CHEVRON the major US Conglomerates, that have destroyed the Niger River with the assistance of Nigerians of course, but how many documents have these major corporations forged on the environmental destruction which they’re causing and ain’t shit happening to these #People_Of_No_Color?
Again, Americans educated or uneducated, rich or poor, of color or of no color DO NOT TAKE KINDLY, to the fact, that they’re not always the brightest bulb in the room with a bunch of [FOREINGERS]. This is DONALD TRUMPS RALLYING CRY and he’s winning with it.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’Ole Dutty Peg🦉Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
Did you see Hillary or Barack being brought up on charges for Libya?
Quickly…What is Donald Trump charged for again???