Nigerian Pilot Faces Five-Year Prison Sentence in U.S. Over Fake FAA Certificate

A 36-year-old Nigerian, Olukayode Ojo, is facing up to five years in prison in Texas, United States, after being found guilty of making false statements to obtain a certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

EKO HOT BLOG reports that following the guilty verdict, U.S. District Judge Jodi Dishman ordered the detention of the Nigerian pilot until his sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Robert Troester announced Ojo’s conviction on Monday via a statement on the FAA’s official website, revealing that Ojo was attempting to obtain a medical certificate necessary for piloting a commercial passenger aircraft, which led to his conviction on August 16, 2024.

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Troester noted that the case was part of an investigation by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson Eldridge and Matt Dillon.

He said, “On June 4, 2024, a federal jury returned a two-count superseding indictment against Ojo, charging him with two counts of making a false statement. On August 16, 2024, a federal jury found Ojo guilty on both counts.

Nigerian Pilot

“Evidence presented at trial indicated that Ojo, an FAA-certified commercial airline pilot, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges on February 8, 2023, in Kentucky state court in connection with the theft of passenger luggage from the baggage carousels at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

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“Ojo then made false statements to the FAA in March 2023 and March 2024 while applying for an FAA First Class Medical Certificate to conceal his history of prior criminal convictions. A First Class Medical Certificate permits an airman to pilot commercial passenger aircraft.”

The convict faces a potential sentence of up to five years in federal prison, along with fines of up to $250,000 for each count.

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