By Tosin Olatokunbo
Billionaire owner of Air Peace Allen Onyema could be heading for jail in the United States of America, following discovery that the businessman used money laundered from the Amnesty Programme to purchase several aircrafts for the company.
Air Peace is Nigeria’s largest Airlines and has aided the federal government in several airlifting of stranded Nigerians from abroad, including from South Africa, where Nigerians suffered xenophobia last year.
The revelation by the US Department of Justice, DOJ, now poses multiple challenges and risks for the airline if the US government successfully prosecutes the charges of money laundering against Onyema in court, watchers of events told the magazine.
Last year, the US government tried to repatriate Onyema from Nigeria to answer charges bordering on money laundry, but the effort was frustrated by a law suit instituted by the business tycoon.
New facts have now emerged in the case that may finally seal the fate of the Air Peace boss, who has been linked with many influential government officials in the country.
He has been accused by the US government of having a link with Kinsley Kuku, a former Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, who allegedly stole several billions from the Presidential Amnesty Programme and connived with Onyema to launder the funds to the United States between 2010 and 2013.
Apart from Onyema, Chibudom Nwuche, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was also accused of laundering at least $8 million from the Amnesty Programme.
In a view to thoroughly prosecute the case, the US, the magazine learnt has formally written a letter to the Nigerian government under the Treaty for Mutual Legal Assistance between both countries asking for the transfer of the case files of investigations conducted on Kuku, who coincidentally was deported from the United States last year by the Department of Homeland Security over immigration fraud after investigators discovered that he laundered at least $44 million from the Amnesty office through multiple US bank accounts.
The former Amnesty Boss has been investigated by the Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC, for stealing N2.7 billion from the office while served under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
But Kuku said his prosecution is politically motivated.
In another letter, two weeks ago, according to sources, the DOJ asked federal government for bank account records of “Air Peace Limited, Ifechukwu Allen Athan Onyema, Tarere Vivenne Kuku alias Nnamani Chika Vivienne, All Times Peace Media, Every Child Limited, Foundation of Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria and Allen Onyema and Company, Global Spectrum Energy Services Plc” amongst others, sources say to enable it prosecute all those involved in the scam.
The “Records should be for the period between April 1, 2010, and the presen” the DOJ said in the letter sent to the Nigerian government.
Recall that in November last year, the United States DOJ disclosed that the Air Peace boss, and the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, have been indicted and charge for bank fraud and money laundering for moving more than $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts through false schemes.]
According to the indictment “Onyema allegedly leveraged his status as a prominent business leader and airline executive while using falsified documents to commit fraud. We will diligently protect the integrity our banking system from being corrupted by criminals, even when they disguise themselves in a cloak of international business,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.
Also Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said Onyema is a fraudulent businessman hiding under the cloak of being a humanitarian to perpetuate criminal activities.
He said “Allen Onyema’s status as a wealthy businessman turned out to be a fraud. He corrupted the U.S. banking system, but his trail of deceit and trickery came to a skidding halt. DEA would like to thank the many law enforcement partners and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office who aided in making this investigation a success.”
Another Agent working in the case Thomas J. Holloman, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office, said the US is poised to protect her financial system from been corrupted by people like Onyema, who he said is trying to profit from the country’s system.
Holloman shed more lights on the scam “This case is a prime example of why IRS-CI seeks to partner and leverage its expertise in an effort to thwart those seeking to exploit our nation’s financial system.
“With the importance of our banking system to the movement of money around the world, those attempting to use intricate schemes to commit bank fraud through the use of falsified documents and other means should know that the odds are now heavily stacked against them as law enforcement is combining its talents to protect the sanctity and integrity of the nation’s financial system.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the scam started in 2010, after Onyema began travelling frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts, and between 2010 and 2018, he transferred over $44.9 million into his Atlanta-based accounts using Nigerian banks.
Part of the fund was later used in purchasing purchasing several airplanes for the airline, using the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony and International Center for Non-Violence and Peace, two Non-governmental organizations owned by the businessman.
He alongside his partner, Egahgha, the report said also used other companies such as the All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited and Every Child Limited, to draw a series of export letters of credit to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts owned by him.
He later laundered another $16 million through the same fraudulent scheme, which was used to purchase five Boeing 737 passenger planes for Air Peace, the DOJ said.
In summary the DOJ said “Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 56, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 37, 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.”
Onyema, is the founder and Chairman of several NGOs which are used in promoting peace across Nigeria, including the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, and All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited.
