TV art expert Ochuko Ojiri charged over links to Hezbollah financier
A TV art dealer has been charged as part of an investigation into alleged terrorist financing and money laundering by a suspected Hezbollah financier. Oghenochuko 'Ochuko' Ojiri, 53, was arrested two years ago by officers from the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit (NTFIU), part of the Met Police's Counter Terrorism Command, and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday. The Met said previously that the arrest related to an investigation into wealthy art collector and diamond dealer Nazem Ahmad, who is suspected of being a funding source for Hezbollah. Mr Ahmad, 60, a dual Belgian-Lebanese citizen, is sanctioned by Britain and the US. He has been accused of using the UK's fine art market to run an international financing operation for Hezbollah, which is proscribed in the UK as a terrorist organisation. Mr Ojiri is known for his appearances on the BBC's Bargain Hunt and has also appeared on the BBC's Antiques Road Trip. Mr Ojiri has described himself as being "absolutely obsessed" with collecting contemporary art, paintings, prints, sculptures and drawings. He has been charged with eight counts of failing to make a disclosure during the course of business within the regulated arts sector, contrary to section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000. The charges relate to the period from October 2020 to December 2021. The Met Police say he is the first person charged with the specific office. Mr Ahmad was first accused by the US Treasury in 2019 of laundering substantial amounts of money and being involved in the smuggling of 'blood diamonds' for Hezbollah. He was sanctioned, then in April 2024 charged by the US along with eight associates with offences relating to breaching sanctions regulations. Police swooped on the high-security depot near London's Heathrow Airport in 2024, taking away nearly two dozen works of art belonging to Mr Ahmad, which they believe would probably have funded Hezbollah. At the same time, at an auction house in central London they seized art that Mr Ahmad had hoped to sell. The nearly two dozen works included paintings by Picasso and Andy Warhol and had a total value of almost £1 million. Among the charges Mr Ahmad is facing are defrauding the US and foreign governments, evading sanctions and money laundering. The UK government also sanctioned Mr Ahmad, saying he had an extensive art collection in Britain and conducted business with several UK-based artists, art galleries and auction houses. The US authorities want to bring Mr Ahmad to trial and has offered a $10 million reward for information on his whereabouts. They believe he is currently in Beirut.
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The National
3 hours ago
- The National
UK freezes £185m of properties linked to former Bangladeshi minister
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The National
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Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes The European Commission has proposed removing the UAE from its list of high-risk countries for money laundering and terrorist financing, while adding Algeria and Lebanon along with eight other jurisdictions, according to a statement published by the Under the delegated regulation update, which may take effect within a month unless blocked by EU member states or the European Parliament, the UAE will be delisted alongside Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, and Uganda. In contrast, Algeria, Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal, and Venezuela will be classified as high-risk jurisdictions subject to enhanced monitoring . The EU's high-risk list, established under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, identifies third-country jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in AML/CFT regimes. Inclusion prompts greater scrutiny from EU financial institutions and complicates access to funding. Significant implications for the UAE and other countries UAE: Having been added to the EU's list in March 2023, the UAE has undergone extensive reforms, including a national anti-money laundering strategy. Its removal follows its February 2024 exit from the FATF's 'grey list' and is grounded in improvements in legislative oversight, regulatory systems, and enforcement action. Read: Algeria: Persistent concerns about corruption and financial misconduct, highlighted by a 2024 Transparency International ranking of 107th globally and high-profile prosecutions — including a five-year jail term in April for a former presidential aide — have underpinned its inclusion. Lebanon: Added amid its prolonged economic and political turmoil, Lebanon's vulnerabilities include its connection to non-state armed groups. The commission based its update on FATF's grey list, bilateral dialogues, on-site reviews, and a thorough technical assessment . It reaffirmed alignment with FATF standards and reiterated the EU's resolve to protect its internal financial system through global AML/CFT cooperation. For the changes to become effective, they must undergo a one-month scrutiny period during which the European Parliament or Council can raise objections.
