Nigerian pilot Olukayode Ojo faces 5-year prison sentence in US over certificate fraud

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

The conviction was announced on Monday by U.S. Attorney Robert Troester.

Following the guilty verdict, U.S. District Judge Jodi Dishman ordered Ojo’s detention until his sentencing. The case stemmed from Ojo’s attempt to secure a medical certificate required for piloting commercial passenger aircraft, which ultimately led to his conviction on August 16, 2024.

The investigation was conducted by the Transportation Security Administration—Investigations (TSA), and the case 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.

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

“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.