Air Peace’s management has reaffirmed that its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Allen Onyema, is innocent of the bank fraud and money laundering charge involving over $20 million brought against him by the United States Department of Justice.
The airline, in a statement signed by its management on Sunday and posted on its X handle, said the ongoing court case involving their CEO and Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, will not disrupt their daily flight operations.
The statement, titled: “Reassurance regarding the recent US DOJ report,” noted that the charges levelled against the duo 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 asserted that its legal team is currently on top of the matter, as it’s confident that, “through due process, the truth will be revealed, and our CEO and co-defendant will be exonerated.”
It also assured the public that “these legal proceedings will not affect the safety, reliability, or day-to-day operations of Air Peace.”
According to Persecondnews, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia accused Onyema and Eghagha in an amended indictment of submitting false documents to thwart a federal investigation into their activities.
The duo have been under scrutiny since 2019 for alleged money laundering.
Under the pretence of buying aeroplanes, the Air Peace CEO allegedly moved over $20 million from Nigeria through US bank accounts using fraudulent documents.
Eghagha is further accused of aggravated identity theft as part of the broader scheme.
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