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The United States Department of Justice’s Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia, on Friday indicted the CEO of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, in bank fraud and financial scam. But the businessman says he is ready to defend himself in any court, stressing that he has never conducted any business illegally.
The US Attorney General’s office in Georgia had in a press release said that Onyema along with his airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, had been charged to court for falsifying documents and money laundering.
The US indictment said Onyema and Eghagha were accused of moving more than $20 million from Nigeria through US banks in a scheme “involving false documents based on the purchase of airplanes.”
But in a press release on Saturday, Onyema’s lawyers, A O Alegeh & Co said “the allegations are unfounded and strange” to the Airline boss.
The release said: “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 in relation to purchase of aircraft, aircraft spares and aircraft maintenance. None of the allegations involves any third party funds but relate to his funds utilised 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.
“The allegations are unfounded and strange to him. Allen Onyema has a track record built on honesty and integrity and will take all necessary steps to clear his good name and hard-earned reputation. He looks forward to an opportunity to rebut these allegations in court.”