Nigerian pilot found guilty of falsifying statements in the United States

Olukayode Ojo, a 36-year-old Nigerian, is facing a potential five-year prison sentence in Texas after being convicted of falsifying statements to secure a certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Reports on Wednesday, following his conviction, U.S. District Judge Jodi Dishman has ordered Ojo’s detention pending his sentencing. U.S. Attorney Robert Troester announced Ojo’s conviction in a statement released on the FAA’s official website, detailing that Ojo had been trying to acquire a medical certificate required for piloting commercial passenger aircraft. This led to his conviction on August 16, 2024.

Troester indicated that the case was part of an ongoing investigation by the Transportation Security Administration—Investigations, with prosecution handled 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. The jury found him guilty on both counts on August 16, 2024.

The trial evidence revealed that Ojo, who was already an FAA-certified commercial airline pilot, had previously pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges in Kentucky state court on February 8, 2023, related to stealing passenger luggage from the baggage carousels at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. In an attempt to hide his criminal history, Ojo made false statements to the FAA in March 2023 and March 2024 while applying for an FAA First Class Medical Certificate, which is necessary for piloting commercial aircraft.

Ojo now faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and fines up to $250,000 for each count.