A Nigerian pilot, Olukayode Ojo, faces up to five years in a U.S. federal prison after being found guilty of making false statements to obtain a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate, necessary for flying commercial aircraft.
U.S. District Judge Jodi Dishman ordered Ojo’s detention pending sentencing after a jury convicted him on two counts of making false statements on August 16, 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced the conviction, revealing that Ojo had concealed past criminal convictions while applying for an FAA First Class Medical Certificate in March 2023 and March 2024.
Prosecutors, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson Eldridge and Matt Dillon, presented evidence showing that Ojo had pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft charges in February 2023 in Kentucky for stealing luggage at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Ojo’s attempts to hide this criminal history led to his conviction.
The case was investigated by the Transportation Security Administration’s Investigations Division.
Ojo could face fines of up to $250,000 for each count in addition to his prison term.
