Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle refuted reports that a wanted United States fugitive allegedly welcomed the couple to Nigeria.
On May 18, the Daily Mail reported that Dr Allen Onyema, the founder of Nigerian airline Air Peace, which provided Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with air transport during the Nigeria tour, was wanted in the US on fraud charges.
According to CNN, in November 2019, the US Department of Justice released a statement saying Onyema is accused of money laundering by illegally moving $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts with fake documents “based on the purchase of airplanes.”
Authorities also said over $44.9 million was allegedly transferred from foreign sources to Onyema’s personal and business bank accounts in Atlanta. Despite maintaining his innocence, Onyema was charged in a $20 million bank fraud and money laundering case.
At the time, Onyeman said, “I never laundered money in my life, neither have I committed bank fraud anywhere in the world,” he further asserted. “Every Kobo [Nigerian currency] I transferred to the US for aircraft purchase went through the Central Bank of Nigeria LC regime, and all were used for the same purpose.”
While it is unclear if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were aware of the fraud charges, sources close to the couple defended them by pointing out that Air Peace is the largest airline in Nigeria and West Africa. The source told Daily Beast the airline has daily flights from Lagos to Britain’s London Gatwick Airport. The source also highlighted the couple, who were on their three-day tour to the country, was invited by the West African country’s chief of defense staff.
The Nigerian fugitive controversy comes amid reports that the royal family was not thrilled with the couple during the West African country tour. Prince Harry, who was in London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games before embarking on the tour, was also unable to meet his father after King Charles refused to see him, citing a “full” schedule.
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