Air peace boss Onyema wanted in Canada for alleged multimillion dollar fraud in U.S.

November 23, 2019Samuel Ogundipe
Air Peace Airlines, Allen Onyema
Air Peace Airlines, Allen Onyema [PHOTO CREDIT: BBC]


Canadian authorities have commenced efforts to execute a corresponding arrest warrant issued for a Nigerian businessman accused of fraud in the United States.
Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace Limited in Nigeria, is facing multiple charges of money laundering and bank fraud in excess of $20 million. A United States grand jury recently indicted Mr Onyema and Ejiroghene Eghagha, Air Peace’s head of finance and administration.
Both suspects denied the allegations in a statement Saturday and indicated their determination to fight the charges in court.
Although Messrs Onyema and Eghagha are currently believed to be in Nigeria, judges in the U.S. have been issuing warrants for their arrest, according to court filings seen by PREMIUM TIMES.
On September 5, Russell Vineyard, a magistrate at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, issued a corresponding warrant of arrest for Messrs Onyema and Eghagha in Canada.
American prosecutors had sought the warrant to enable Canadian law enforcement authorities take the suspects into custody if sighted in their jurisdiction.
As part of a longstanding tradition on cross-border crimes, American authorities have briefed their Canadian counterparts about their case against the two Nigerians, documents said.
Similarly, on November 19, Justin Anand, a magistrate at the same district, issued a separate warrant against Messrs Onyema and Eghagha for their arrest in the United States, especially by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Although the major aspects of the alleged fraud were committed in the U.S., some of the bank accounts used in some of the suspicious transactions were domiciled in Canada.
The U.S. and Nigeria have an extradition agreement.
Several Nigerians have been extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges, but no high-profile citizen of Mr Onyema’s standing has ever been handed over.
Buruji Kashamu, a Nigerian politician, has spent decades fighting his extradition to the U.S. on drugs charges, using Nigerian courts to frustrate the process. He was elected into the Nigerian Senate in 2015 and served a full four-year term despite several outstanding court warrants, including appellate court rulings in Nigeria and in America, for his extradition.
It was unclear whether American authorities have filed extradition requests for Messrs Onyema and Eghagha based on the court warrants. A spokesperson for the Nigerian attorney-general’s office did not immediately return requests for comments Saturday afternoon.
American prosecutors said the two connived to launder funds and defraud American banks with falsified letters of credit for aircraft and equipment purchases.
The indictment leveled serious charges of money laundering and foreign exchange fraud against the individuals.
Already, several companies which the U.S. authorities alleged Mr Onyema set up to carry out fraudulent transactions between Nigerian and American banks have had their bank accounts frozen.
At least $14.2 million (N5 billion) had been confiscated in three bank accounts run by Mr Onyema’s companies in the U.S. and Canada. A final forfeiture of the funds is being pursued as part of the charges against the airline executives.
Mr Onyema did not return PREMIUM TIMES’ calls and text messages seeking his comments about the arrest warrants and funds seizures.
In an earlier statement Saturday, Mr Onyema denied the charges and said he was ready to defend his “innocence”.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/364889-air-peace-boss-onyema-wanted-in-canada-for-alleged-multimillion-dollar-fraud-in-u-s.html

Now this is crazy

premiumtimesng

This paper is Tinubu war head.

This and TVC.

The paper is also INEC official press publication.

They know who won election before Inec.

hammerD:


This paper is Tinubu war head.

This and TVC.

The paper is also INEC official press publication.

They know who won election before Inec.

The whole silly oil orchestration now makes sense!

That's why Tinubu stooge, Mr. Igbokwe said Air Peace refused to board him last week!!

Canada follow follow, canadian legal system is a toy for the United states government legal system. Whenever the us government barks the Canadian govt. Must jump.

Huawei China executive case is a reference point.

My Igbo brother forget.

hammerD:


This paper is Tinubu war head.

This and TVC.

The paper is also INEC official press publication.

They know who won election before Inec.

Damn

No smoke without fire. and everybody can't be wrong

No wonder baba was trying to play Robin hood by airlifting people from South Africa to Naija for free

When it rains,it pours.
Could it be the offence is even more grievous than the US authorities are even alleging?
Asset forfeiture,worldwide arrest warrant all within the indictment being made public.
When Onyeama voluntarily goes to the US to defend himself is when I would take him serious.
Otherwise everyother thing he is saying is just empty bluffing effective in Nigeria,but dead on arrival in civilised climes.

eagleu:


The whole silly oil orchestration now makes sense!

That's why Tinubu stooge, Mr. Igbokwe said Air Peace refused to board him last week!!

Hmmmmm

I am seeing these whole things as an orchestrated and planned attack on Mr Onyema by his rivals both home and abroad just to bring him down and cripple AirPeace. God pass them. Mr Onyema must not go down.

Nigeria and fraud Sha.


More reasons I dont envy most of this flashy life style. Not until you get billions. If what u get is sufficient to meet ur needs my brother you are rich

Like play, like play.

Canada just wants to use this man to shine.

They want to take style and deal with him because he refused to develop Canada with his money.

Ntor, nothing for them.

This case is taking a multi national dimension, he should just send his attorneys to go cut a deal on his behalf before it's too late. I do not want to see a situation where the EFCC would be forced to lay siege on his house to arrest him, that could further polarize our country.

Nigerians always ready to suck the white man's dick and discard their own without much thought.

Whatever air peace chairman has done is nothing compared to what billionaires do to game the US financial system on the daily. How many Wall Street bankers went to jail despite putting the whole world through recession in 2008?

You have a CEO of an indigenous airline that could become a huge competition to foreign airlines that have been making bulk off our skies and suddenly he becomes the target of some money laundering investigation?? USE YOUR BRAINS

I will make an educated guess and say the next target of investigation is Nigeria's first auto maker, Innosun

Following

Double Wahala

Frontpage Lalastiscala

jayfolarin:
Nigerians always ready to suck the white man's dick and discard their own without much thought.

Whatever air peace chairman has done is nothing compared to what billionaires do to game the US financial system on the daily. How many Wall Street bankers went to jail despite putting the whole world through recession in 2008?

You have a CEO of an indigenous airline that could become a huge competition to foreign airlines that have been making bulk off our skies and suddenly he becomes the target of some money laundering investigation?? USE YOUR BRAINS

I will make an educated guess and say the next target of investigation is Nigeria's first auto maker, Innosun

You said it all.
Unfortunately for those rejoicing, they fail to understand the import.
Regular and reasonable airfare to Lagos on a competitive field doesn't benefit the Igbos alone!

Typical black with black mind go and get a life

Typical comments from deluded pigs. No wonder nobody takes them seriously

This deal was done during dollar scarcity era.

They use government influence to buy dollar from CBN at N250 in the name of aircraft purchase. But somehow the dollar returns back to Nigeria black market and is sold for 500.

Some guys here on NL paid tuition fees to fake universities abroad and had the dollar returned to them.

Onyema is not the only person involved in this deal. But unfortunately his company was used for it.

Eeya

I hope he has the commonsense to cut a deal with these guys.

They would ruin him so bad and so fast that he won't see them coming.

Everybody wants a piece of this guy. Won't be surprised if Chad says he's a wanted man as well

Before air peace which business did this man have before. All those orders were too suspicious too. Naso airline dey lucrative for 9ja ni. The politician he is fronting for must me shitting in his pants now. All the philantrophy for xenophobia victims na format

SonofDevil:
[s]Air peace boss Onyema wanted in Canada for alleged multimillion dollar fraud in U.S.

November 23, 2019Samuel Ogundipe
Air Peace Airlines, Allen Onyema
Air Peace Airlines, Allen Onyema [PHOTO CREDIT: BBC]


Canadian authorities have commenced efforts to execute a corresponding arrest warrant issued for a Nigerian businessman accused of fraud in the United States.
Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace Limited in Nigeria, is facing multiple charges of money laundering and bank fraud in excess of $20 million. A United States grand jury recently indicted Mr Onyema and Ejiroghene Eghagha, Air Peace’s head of finance and administration.
Both suspects denied the allegations in a statement Saturday and indicated their determination to fight the charges in court.
Although Messrs Onyema and Eghagha are currently believed to be in Nigeria, judges in the U.S. have been issuing warrants for their arrest, according to court filings seen by PREMIUM TIMES.
On September 5, Russell Vineyard, a magistrate at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, issued a corresponding warrant of arrest for Messrs Onyema and Eghagha in Canada.
American prosecutors had sought the warrant to enable Canadian law enforcement authorities take the suspects into custody if sighted in their jurisdiction.
As part of a longstanding tradition on cross-border crimes, American authorities have briefed their Canadian counterparts about their case against the two Nigerians, documents said.
Similarly, on November 19, Justin Anand, a magistrate at the same district, issued a separate warrant against Messrs Onyema and Eghagha for their arrest in the United States, especially by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Although the major aspects of the alleged fraud were committed in the U.S., some of the bank accounts used in some of the suspicious transactions were domiciled in Canada.
The U.S. and Nigeria have an extradition agreement.
Several Nigerians have been extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges, but no high-profile citizen of Mr Onyema’s standing has ever been handed over.
Buruji Kashamu, a Nigerian politician, has spent decades fighting his extradition to the U.S. on drugs charges, using Nigerian courts to frustrate the process. He was elected into the Nigerian Senate in 2015 and served a full four-year term despite several outstanding court warrants, including appellate court rulings in Nigeria and in America, for his extradition.
It was unclear whether American authorities have filed extradition requests for Messrs Onyema and Eghagha based on the court warrants. A spokesperson for the Nigerian attorney-general’s office did not immediately return requests for comments Saturday afternoon.
American prosecutors said the two connived to launder funds and defraud American banks with falsified letters of credit for aircraft and equipment purchases.
The indictment leveled serious charges of money laundering and foreign exchange fraud against the individuals.
Already, several companies which the U.S. authorities alleged Mr Onyema set up to carry out fraudulent transactions between Nigerian and American banks have had their bank accounts frozen.
At least $14.2 million (N5 billion) had been confiscated in three bank accounts run by Mr Onyema’s companies in the U.S. and Canada. A final forfeiture of the funds is being pursued as part of the charges against the airline executives.
Mr Onyema did not return PREMIUM TIMES’ calls and text messages seeking his comments about the arrest warrants and funds seizures.
In an earlier statement Saturday, Mr Onyema denied the charges and said he was ready to defend his “innocence”.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/364889-air-peace-boss-onyema-wanted-in-canada-for-alleged-multimillion-dollar-fraud-in-u-s.html[/s]

Afonja at it again, concocting all manners of lies against this man. My people, read the headline, then read the story and see for yourself how wicked these people are to destroy this man

hammerD:


This paper is Tinubu war head.

This and TVC.

The paper is also INEC official press publication.

They know who won election before Inec.

It is Tinubu that got the warrant against him in the US, abi?

hammerD:


This paper is Tinubu war head.

This and TVC.

The paper is also INEC official press publication.

They know who won election before Inec.

eagleu:


The whole silly oil orchestration now makes sense!

That's why Tinubu stooge, Mr. Igbokwe said Air Peace refused to board him last week!!

Must you guys bring in tribal hatred and bigotry into every thing?

Now Tinubu even have power to influence United state and Canada to victimise igbo business man.

We all feel sad for this and we all hope he gets through but the victim mentality and blaming Yoruba or Tinubu or another tribe for misded or wrong doing of igbo man is what makes people crazy.

Honestly people like you guys are cancer to the society.

ryanol2:


Afonja at it again, concocting all manners of lies against this man. My people, read the headline, then read the story and see for yourself how wicked these people are to destroy this man

Another hate filled pig ready to blame Yoruba for something that happened in USA and Canada, I bet u don't know extradition law btw Canada and USA, infact Nigeria and USA has this extradition law and hope USA does not request this from Nigeria.