A 36-year-old Nigerian, Olukayode Ojo, is facing up to five years in prison in Texas after being found guilty of making false statements to obtain a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificate. Following his guilty verdict, US District Judge Jodi Dishman has ordered Ojo’s detention pending sentencing. US Attorney Robert Troester announced Ojo’s conviction on Monday via the FAA’s official website, revealing that Ojo had been seeking a medical certificate necessary for piloting a commercial passenger aircraft, which led to his conviction on August 16, 2024.
Troester explained that the case was part of an investigation by the Transportation Security Administration—Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson Eldridge and Matt Dillon.
“On June 4, 2024, a federal jury returned a two-count superseding indictment against Ojo, charging him with making false statements. On August 16, 2024, the jury found him guilty on both counts,” Troester said.
Evidence presented at the trial showed that Ojo, an FAA-certified commercial pilot, had pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges on February 8, 2023, in Kentucky for stealing passenger luggage 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, attempting to conceal his prior criminal convictions. This certificate is required for pilots of commercial passenger aircraft.
Ojo now faces a potential sentence of up to five years in federal prison, along with fines of up to $250,000 for each count.
