June 20, 2024
The Justice Department was seeking forfeiture of a Los Angeles mansion transferred to a company controlled by the VistaJet founder as payment for flights.
The saga of Kolawoke Aluke, who allegedly bilked hundreds of millions of dollars from the Nigerian government and ensnared Vista Global and VistaJet founder Thomas Flohr, is over, at least as far as the private jet boss is concerned.
According to Bloomberg Quint, Flohr earlier this week paid the U.S. government $16 million to keep a Los Angeles mansion.
The house was transferred to a company controlled by Flohr, according to the U.S. Justice Department, as payment by Aluke for flights in one of VistaJet’s fleet of Bombardier Global 6000s.
Bloomberg reports the payment closes the case without either side admitting “any fault, wrongdoing, or liability.”
The house transfer originally settled $21.6 million owed for private jet flights.
Vista Global officials did not reply to a request for comment.
The DOJ had said Flohr should have been aware Aluke was suspected of money laundering from media coverage.
