Daily Mail has uncovered a $20 million money laundering case linked to the chairman and founder of Air Peace, Allen Onyema.
The British news medium published this exclusive story following the visit of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Nigeria.
Fintech Telex understands that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were received in Nigeria by Onyema, whom Daily Mail labeled as a ‘fugitive’.
According to the report, Onyema was indicted in the US for allegedly orchestrating a $20 million money laundering and bank fraud scheme. He’s said to be facing numerous charges related to an alleged fraud scheme involving millions of dollars. These charges were outlined in a federal indictment that was filed in November 2019.
Onyema was purported to be utilizing his position as a distinguished business leader and airline executive to launder over $20 million from Nigeria via US bank accounts.
Although, there is no indication that either Harry or Meghan had any knowledge of Onyema’s history before their encounter with him.
Former US Attorney, Byung J ‘BJay’ Pak filed the charges before leaving office, with the case now being handled by Ryan Buchanan, the current US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia who assumed the role in 2022.
During the time of filing, Pak stated that the individual who warmly greeted the Sussexes during their ‘private’ visit to his nation, allegedly exploited his position as a well-known business figure and airline executive by utilizing forged documents to engage in fraudulent activities.
Robert Murphy, the agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta field division added, “Allan Onyema’s status as a wealthy businessman turned out to be a fraud. He corrupted the US banking system, but his trail of deceit and trickery came to a skidding halt.”
The indictment goes on to allege that Onyema set up various ‘innocent-sounding multi-million-dollar asset purchases which were nothing more than alleged fronts for his scam’.
It states that Onyema is the founder and chairman of several organizations across Nigeria, including the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, the International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, and All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited.
From foreign sources, it is claimed that an amount exceeding $44.9 million was purportedly transferred to Onyema’s accounts based in Atlanta between 2010 and 2018.
In November 2019, Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace, denied the allegations of money laundering and bank fraud brought against him by the US Justice Department in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Northern District of Georgia’s Attorney’s Office, under the US Justice Department, accused Onyema and his chief of administration and finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, of unlawfully transferring over $20 million through American bank accounts with fraudulent documents to purchase aircraft.
Reacting to the allegations, Onyema’s counsel, A.0. Alegeh had said the allegations against his client were false and unfounded.
“On behalf of Allen Onyema, we hereby state that he strongly denies and will vigorously defend himself against the allegations made against him by the US Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia about the purchase of Aircraft, Aircraft spares, and Aircraft maintenance.
“None of the allegations involve any third-party funds but relate to his funds utilized 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.”
This disclosure came barely three months after the airline commenced its Lagos-London flight services.
Onyema announced that the airline had successfully obtained the Foreign Carrier Operator Permit and Third Country Operator Permit.
This means it is qualified to operate flights to Europe and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, will this case threaten Air Peace’s intended plan to extend its routes to the US after successfully doing so to the UK?
You Should Also Know That
- 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 in the first place and the company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist.
- The company, incorporated and based in Georgia State, is said to have been deficient in filing its annual registration, after the U.S. Department of Justice filed charges against its principals, including Onyema in 2019.
- In October 2022 American citizen Ebony Mayfield, a former staff member of Springfield Aviation Company was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $4,000 for her role in the alleged scheme after charges were filed against her by the US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
- However, since the charges were filed, nothing has been heard of the progress in the case, and the Air Peace boss is not known to have visited the U.S. ever since.
- PREMIUM TIMES obtained information that Springfield Aviation, the U.S. company Onyema used in making the problematic transactions, has now been dissolved.
- The charges against Onyema and Eghagha remain pending with both men maintaining their innocence.
