BBC ‘Bargain Hunt' expert jailed over art sales to ‘Hezbollah financier'
Ojiri, of Brent, north London, previously pleaded guilty to eight offences under section 21A of the UK's 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.
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 defendant was, at the relevant time, the owner and operator of Ramp Gallery – latterly Ojiri Gallery, Lyndon Harris, prosecuting, 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,' Mr Harris said.
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 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'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
19 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Total number of Palestine Action support arrests rises to 522
The number of people arrested for supporting banned group Palestine Action at a protest in central London has risen to more than 520. Only 18 of those people remained in custody on Sunday afternoon but were expected to be released on bail 'in the coming hours', the London Metropolitan Police said. Hundreds attended the demonstration in Parliament Square on Saturday, organised by Defend Our Juries, with the force warning it would arrest anyone expressing support for Palestine Action. The Met confirmed on Sunday that 522 people were held for displaying an item in support of a proscribed organisation, out of 532 total arrests made during the policing operation. Hundreds attended the demonstration in Parliament Square on Saturday (Stefan Rousseau/PA) One arrest took place at the form up of the Palestine Coalition march in Russell Square, with the remaining 521 arrests at the protest in Parliament Square. There were a further 10 arrests – six for assaults on officers, two for breaching Public Order Act conditions and one arrest for obstructing a constable in the execution of their duty and a racially aggravated public order offence, respectively, the force said. Detained protesters were taken to prisoner processing points in the Westminster area, and those whose details could be confirmed were bailed, with conditions not to attend any further protest in support of Palestine Action, Scotland Yard said on Saturday. Those whose details were refused, or could not be verified, were taken to custody suites across London. Some 522 people were held for displaying an item in support of a proscribed organisation (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Some 320 people were dealt with at prisoner processing points while 212 were transported to custody, with 18 people remaining in the latter as of 1pm on Sunday, the force said. On Saturday the crowd sat silently on the grass inside Parliament Square after writing 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' on white placards. Police took several hours to individually remove the protesters, some sitting and some lying flat on the grass, from the square into waiting vans. Onlookers applauded the protesters and shouted 'shame on you' at the police making arrests. Membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
Five Lebanese soldiers killed in blast while removing munitions from Hezbollah facility
FIVE LEBANESE SOLDIERS were killed in a blast on Saturday while removing munitions from a Hezbollah military facility in south Lebanon, a military source told news agency AFP. Under a November truce that ended a recent war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, the army has been deploying in south Lebanon and dismantling the militant group's infrastructure there. 'Five soldiers were killed in an explosion… inside a Hezbollah military facility,' the source said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to brief the media. The blast erupted as the troops were 'removing munitions and unexploded ordnance left over from the recent war' between Israel and Hezbollah, the source said. Advertisement The army did not immediately issue a statement. But Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said he spoke to army commander Rodolphe Haykal about a 'painful incident' near Majdal Zoun and Wadi Zibqin in Tyre district that led to an unspecified number of casualties among troops. The presidency statement said the blast was due to a munitions explosion as an engineering unit 'was working to remove and disable' the ordnance. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam paid tribute on X to the troops who were killed 'while performing their national duty'. The announcement came after Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, said Thursday that troops had 'discovered a vast network of fortified tunnels' in the same area. UN spokesman Farhan Haq had told reporters that peacekeepers and Lebanese troops found 'three bunkers, artillery, rocket launchers, hundreds of explosive shells and rockets, anti-tank mines and about 250 ready-to-use improvised explosive devices'.
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
Woman (62) arrested in Belfast on suspicion of showing support for banned Palestine Action
LAST UPDATE | 36 mins ago IN BELFAST, A woman in her 60s has been arrested on suspicion 'of possession of an article that indicates support for a proscribed organisation'. The arrest occurred this afternoon in the Linenhall Street area of Belfast city centre. The Journal witnessed the woman, who was wearing a t-shirt supporting the banned Palestine Action group, be placed into the back of a police van by a number of police officers. Onlookers chanted 'let her go' as she was arrested. Elderly woman arrested for wearing a Palestine Action t-shirt in Belfast. What a truly farcical thing it was to make them a proscribed organisation, what possible purpose does it serve to arrest such people who are peacefully protesting. — Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) August 9, 2025 One man, aged 43, was also arrested for disorderly behaviour. Both he and the arrested woman remain in custody at this time, a spokesperson for the PSNI said. Another two males at the same location were cautioned 'on suspicion of possession of an article that indicates support for a proscribed organisation'. The police action in Belfast coincides with widespread action by police in London, who have arrested more than 150 protestors who had been sitting in the middle of Parliament Square. London The officers lifted the protesters – some sitting and some lying flat – off the ground before escorting them away. More than 150 people have been arrested so far this afternoon. Onlookers applauded the protesters and shouted 'shame on you' at the police making arrests. Defend Our Juries, which organised the demonstration, said between 600 and 700 people were in Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon. The Metropolitan Police said it would arrest anyone expressing support for Palestine Action. Supporters, media and police gather around a protester lying on the ground Alamy Alamy Palestine Action, which organised the demonstration, has been banned in the UK and labelled a proscribed group. The ban means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000. Advertisement In a post to X , the Metropolitan Police this afternoon said: 'Within this crowd a significant number of people are displaying placards expressing support for Palestine Action, which is a proscribed group. 'Officers have moved in and are making arrests.' Palestine Action supporters in Parliament Square, Westminster, central London Alamy Alamy It comes days after the first three people to be charged with supporting the group in England and Wales were named. Jeremy Shippam, 71, Judit Murray, also 71, and Fiona Maclean, 53, have all been charged with displaying an article in a public place, arousing reasonable suspicion that they are a supporter of a proscribed organisation after their attendance at a previous demonstration last month. More than 200 people have been arrested in the wave of Defend Our Juries protests across the UK since the ban was implemented by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper last month. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: 'The Met is very experienced at dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality, requiring arrests. 'While we will not go into the specific details of our plan, the public can be assured that we will have the resources and processes in place to respond to any eventuality. 'Anyone showing support for Palestine Action can expect to be arrested. I would once again urge people to consider the seriousness of that outcome. 'An arrest under the Terrorism Act can have very real long-term implications – from travel, to employment, to finances. Also, as we have seen this week, it is very likely an arrest in these circumstances will lead to a charge.' A UK Home Office spokesperson said it protects the right to protest, but that the activities of Palestine Action 'do not reflect or represent' the thousands of others who exercise that right. 'The decision to proscribe was based on strong security advice and the unanimous recommendation by the expert cross-government proscription review group. This followed serious attacks the group has committed, involving violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage,' they said. At a separate march today that started at Russell Square, one person has been arrested so far. The arrest was 'for a placard showing support for Palestine Action', police said. With reporting by Diarmuid Pepper, Emma Hickey, and Press Association Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
