Air Peace has come out in defense of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Allen Onyema, and Chief of Finance and Administration, Mrs. Ejiro Eghagha, who are facing charges for alleged obstruction of justice and bank fraud in the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office had alleged that Onyema submitted false documents to the government in an attempt to end an investigation into his earlier charges of bank fraud and money laundering.
Eghagha was also accused of participating in the obstruction scheme and earlier bank fraud counts.
The U.S. Attorney, Ryan K. Buchanan, said; “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.”
The superseding indictment also alleged that Onyema fraudulently transferred over $44.9 million into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources between 2010 and 2018.
Additionally, Onyema and Eghagha were accused of fraudulently applying for export letters of credit to transfer funds from a Nigerian bank account to Onyema’s Atlanta-Georgia-based firm, Springfield Aviation LLC, between 2016 and 2017.
READ ALSO: Air Peace CEO, Onyema, Finance manager under probe in US for alleged fraud, money laundering
However, Air Peace maintains that its executives are innocent of all accusations
In a statement issued on Sunday, the airline emphasized that the latest charges are part of an extended legal process stemming from earlier accusations of financial misdeeds that date back several years.
“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,” the statement reads. “We understand that this may have raised concerns, and we wish to address these reports directly.”
The airline reassured the public that these legal proceedings would not impact the safety, reliability, or its day-to-day operations.
“The dedication and focus of our staff remain steadfast as we continue to provide you with the best aviation experience in Nigeria and beyond,” the statement added.
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