Nigerian Pilot Faces 5-Year Prison Sentence for FAA Certificate Fraud

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

According to reports on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jodi Dishman has ordered Ojo’s detention until his sentencing, following the guilty verdict. The announcement of Ojo’s conviction was made by U.S. Attorney Robert Troester on Monday through a statement released on the FAA’s official website. The statement revealed that Ojo was attempting to secure a First Class Medical Certificate, which is essential for piloting a commercial passenger aircraft, and this led to his conviction on August 16, 2024.

The case, part of a broader investigation conducted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Investigations, was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson Eldridge and Matt Dillon. The investigation uncovered that, on June 4, 2024, a federal jury returned a two-count superseding indictment against Ojo, charging him with two counts of making false statements. Subsequently, on August 16, 2024, Ojo was found guilty on both counts by a federal jury.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that Ojo, who is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified commercial airline pilot, had previously pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges on February 8, 2023, in a Kentucky state court. These charges were related to the theft of passenger luggage from baggage carousels at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. To hide his criminal history, Ojo made false statements to the FAA in March 2023 and March 2024 while applying for the FAA First Class Medical Certificate, which is mandatory for pilots operating commercial passenger flights.

As a result of these actions, Ojo now faces a possible sentence of up to five years in federal prison. Additionally, he could be subjected to fines of up to $250,000 for each of the two counts of making false statements.

This case underscores the seriousness with which U.S. authorities treat the integrity of aviation credentials and the importance of accurate disclosure by aviation professionals.