BBC Bargain Hunt expert jailed over art sales to ‘Hezbollah financier'

Independent

14 hours ago

A BBC Bargain Hunt art expert who failed to report a series of high-value art sales to a man suspected of financing militant group Hezbollah has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, sold artwork worth around £140,000 to Nazem Ahmad, a man designated by US authorities as a suspected financier for the Lebanese organisation.
Ojiri, of Brent, north London, previously pleaded guilty to eight offences under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000. He is believed to be the first person to be charged with the specific offence.
The art dealer, who has also appeared on the BBC's Antiques Road Trip, was charged with failing to disclose information about transactions in the regulated art market sector on or before dates between October 2020 and December 2021.
US prosecutors say Mr Ahmad was a 'major Hezbollah financial donor' who used high-value art and diamonds to launder money and fund the group.
He is accused of evading terrorism sanctions by using front companies to acquire more than 160 million dollars (£120 million) in artwork and diamond services.
Following the introduction of new money laundering regulations in January 2020 that brought the art market under HMRC supervision, Ojiri is said to have discussed the changes with a colleague, indicating awareness of the rules.
The court previously heard the total value of the artwork sold was around £140,000.
The defendant was, at the relevant time, the owner and operator of Ramp Gallery – latterly Ojiri Gallery, Lyndon Harris, prosecuting, said.
Mr Ahmad is understood to be based in Beirut, the court heard.
Mr Harris said: 'The defendant engaged in discussions with and sales over a 14-month period with Nazem Ahmad and his associates, selling art to the value of £140,000 over that period.'
The defendant knew Mr Ahmad had been sanctioned in the US, a previous hearing was told.
Ahmad's phone number was saved on Ojiri's phone as 'Moss', the court heard.
'[It] appears to have been a name deliberately chosen to disguise Mr Ahmad as being one of his contacts,' the prosecutor said.
He added that Ojiri was warned by others about his conduct 'but proceeded to engage in dealings with Ahmad in any event'.
Gavin Irwin, defending, said Ojiri was arrested while filming a BBC TV programme.
He said: 'He has lost the work he loves. He was arrested while filming a BBC television programme.
'He has already lost, of course, his good name, he was until recently a man of good character.'
He said the defendant had been 'naive' in relation to his participation in Ahmad's art market, but that he was 'preyed on by more sophisticated others'.
Mr Irwin also said the defendant has lost his business, accepted that he had done wrong and wanted to 'apologise for undermining trust in the industry' and also to 'apologise for the distress that he has caused principally to those who know him, who love him, but also those who have supported him throughout his career'.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb sentenced Ojiri to two years and six months in prison at the Old Bailey on Friday, with a further year to be spent on licence.
She told Ojiri he had been involved in a commercial relationship 'for prestige and profit', and that he had been 'seeking the kudos of dealing with an eminent name in the dealing world'.
She added: 'You knew about Ahmad's suspected involvement in financing terrorism and the way the art market can be exploited by someone like him.'
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said that until these events he was 'someone to be admired' and added 'this is the nadir – there is one direction your life can go and I am confident that you will not be in front of the courts again.'
The judge said the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'The prosecution, using specific Terrorism Act legislation is the first of its kind, and should act as a warning to all art dealers that we can, and will, prosecute those who knowingly do business with people identified as funders of terrorist groups.
'Oghenochuko Ojiri wilfully obscured the fact he knew he was selling artwork to Nazem Ahmad, someone who has been sanctioned by the UK and US Treasury and described as a funder of the proscribed terrorist group Hizballah.
'Financial investigation is a crucial part of the counter terrorism effort. A team of specialist investigators, analysts and researchers in the NTFIU work all year round to prevent money from reaching the hands of terrorists or being used to fund terrorist attacks.'
Bethan David, head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said: 'It is clear that Oghenochuko Ojiri was aware of new money laundering regulations in the art world and that he had knowledge of Nazem Ahmad's background.
'Ojiri engaged in activity designed to conceal the identity of the true purchaser by changing the details on invoices and storing Mr Ahmad's name under a different alias in his mobile phone.
'His motivation appears to be financial along with a broader desire to boost his gallery's reputation within the art market by dealing with such a well-known collector.'
Ojiri has appeared on a number of BBC shows including Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip.
He described himself as 'absolutely obsessed' with collecting contemporary art in a BBC Q&A.
He has previously worked as an auctioneer and is known for championing African and European contemporary art.
Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political and militant group based in Lebanon, backed by Iran and known for its armed resistance against Israel.
In the UK, the entire organisation – both its military and political wings – has been banned as a terrorist group since 2019.