$20M Alleged Fraud: U.S. Court Renews Arrest Order For Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema

A U.S. federal court has reissued an arrest warrant for Allen Onyema, the founder and CEO of Nigerian airline Air Peace Limited, over a $20 million bank fraud case ongoing for five years.

The Northern District Court of Georgia, Atlanta, renewed the order on October 9 after additional charges were filed against Onyema and Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance.

U.S. prosecutors added new counts of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to the case, bringing the total charges to 38, including conspiracy, money laundering, and bank fraud.

Prosecutors allege that Onyema and Eghagha orchestrated a scheme to illegally move funds from Nigeria to U.S. accounts under the guise of aircraft purchases.

The new warrant follows previous arrest orders, initially issued in 2019, which U.S. authorities sought to enforce internationally, including in Canada.

According to court filings, Onyema allegedly used his U.S.-based company, Springfield Aviation, to transfer large sums and then presented false documents in an effort to end the investigation and unfreeze his accounts.

Air Peace maintains that Onyema and Eghagha are innocent, emphasizing their full cooperation with the authorities and dedication to continuing safe operations despite the ongoing legal process.