For making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a bid to secure a crucial certification, Olukayode Ojo, a Nigerian pilot has landed in serious legal trouble.
The 36-year-old Olukayode Ojo, is facing the risk of a potential five-year prison sentence in Texas, USA, having been found guilty of making false statements.
The verdict which was delivered on August 16, 2024, has seen to Olukayode Ojo being detained on the order of the US District Judge, Jodi Dishman pending final sentencing.
The US Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, Robert Troester, announced Ojo’s conviction in a statement released on the FAA’s official website.
Ojo’s sentencing is expected to be handed down in the coming months.
The investigation which was led by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), revealed that Ojo falsified information in his applications for an FAA First Class Medical Certificate—a requirement for piloting commercial passenger aircraft.
According to the prosecution, Olukayode Ojo, an FAA-certified commercial airline pilot, had previously pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges on February 8, 2023, in a Kentucky state court.
The charges stemmed from his involvement in the theft of passenger luggage at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Again, when applying for the FAA certificate in March 2023 and again in March 2024, Ojo falsely denied having any prior criminal convictions.
After reviewing the evidence, the federal jury found Ojo guilty of both counts of making false statements.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000.
