A United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, has issued a warrant of arrest against the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyeama for alleged money laundering and bank fraud.
This is even as more judicial authorities are getting involved in the case, as the Canadian authorities in line with an existing agreement with the US have set in motion mechanisms to have the Nigerian businessman arrested.
The US warrant, which was signed by Justin Anand, an magistrate, on November 19, authorised U.S. Marshals Service to take Mr Onyema into custody.
It would be recalled that a Nigerian, Temitayo Fatunmbi, was in August sentenced to four years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty of $8.3 million fraud. His conviction in the U.S. followed his extradition from Nigeria.
The extradition of suspects wanted in the US has been a major feature lately, thanks to a mutual legal assistance policy between the US and Nigeria that allows both countries to extradite suspects facing criminal charges. Several Nigerians have been sent to the U.S. to stand trial for alleged fraud.
It was unclear whether the U.S. authorities have sought an extradition of Mr Onyema as part of efforts to the execute warrant of arrest issued against him.
According to reports, the Air Peace CEO was indicted on Friday for allegedly laundering suspicious funds in excess of $20 million in the U.S.
A staff of Onyeama’s airline, Ejiroghene Eghagha, who functions as head of finance and administration, was also indicted and an arrest warrant equally issued against him.
The US authorities accused the two Nigerian business executives of conniving to commit money laundering and bank fraud for several years.
The allegations were made public on Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice made the allegations public on Friday. It however did say if warrnats of arrest had been issued against them.
According to the details of the warrant, Onyeama was accused of using several non-commercial entities he registered to conduct commercial businesses in the United States.
Onyeama was also accused of facilitating fraudulent letters of credit to American banks to procure aircraft, equipment and luxury goods.
Reports also have it that about $14 million traced to his bank accounts in the U.S. and Canada have been frozen as federal authorities pursue a final forfeiture order.
The seizure came after extensive investigation of how Mr Onyema allegedly conducted the fraud between 2010 and 2018.
Though the air peace boss has not reacted to the warrant of arrest issuance, a statement by his attorney had described the allegations against the duo as strange and unfounded.
The statement also indicated that both Onyema and Eghagha have built a reputation of honesty and integrity and were looking forward to fighting the charges against them in court.
EFCC is said to be also investigating two Nigerian banks for allegedly facilitating the transfer of the money to the US and processing letters of credit to buy planes for Air Peace.
The probe, it was gathered, would cover the activities and inflows into the accounts of four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) /non-profit groups sponsored by Onyema.
They are Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Centre for Non-Violence and Peace Development, All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited and Every Child Limited.