British-Nigerian art dealer and former BBC Bargain Hunt expert, Oghenochuko Ojiri, has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison in the United Kingdom for selling artwork to a suspected financier of Hezbollah, a group officially designated as a terrorist organization by the UK.
Ojiri, 53, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to eight counts under the Terrorism Act 2000, specifically for failing to disclose suspicious financial transactions — a landmark case marking the first prosecution of its kind under that section of the law, according to the BBC.
Judge: “Only a Custodial Sentence Can Be Justified”
Delivering the sentence, Justice Cheema-Grubb said:
“These offences are so severe that only a custodial sentence can be justified. You knew about Ahmad’s suspected involvement in financing terrorism and the way the art market can be exploited by people like him.”
While the court acknowledged that there was no evidence Ojiri supported extremist ideology, the judge made it clear that his failure to report dealings with Nazem Ahmad — a Lebanese art collector sanctioned by the US in 2019 — “undermined the detection of terrorist financing.”
Between 2020 and 2021, Ojiri covertly sold nearly £140,000 worth of artwork, including a £20,000 piece by Icelandic artist Baldur Helgason, to Ahmad. The art was shipped from London to Dubai and Beirut.
“His Humiliation Is Complete”
Prosecutors revealed that Ojiri knew about Ahmad’s links to Hezbollah, despite his initial denial. Investigators found messages and research on Ojiri’s phone indicating he was aware of the sanctions, and a colleague had even warned him to avoid dealing with the Lebanese buyer.
Ojiri’s lawyer, Gavin Irwin, said his client was “deeply sorry” for his actions:
“He’d like to apologise for undermining trust in the art market. His humiliation is complete — he has lost his good name and the work he loves.”
Authorities Speak Out
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, emphasized the gravity of the case:
“Raising money for terrorism is a core part of how terrorist groups are able to cause harm around the world.”
Similarly, Bethan David, head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said:
“This prosecution is believed to be the first of its kind, and the CPS will not hesitate to bring criminal charges against individuals who flout the law in this way.”
Nazem Ahmad, the buyer at the center of the case, remains at large in Lebanon and is accused of laundering millions of dollars for Hezbollah through high-value art transactions.