Latest news with #Ojiri
NDTV
3 days ago
- NDTV
UK Art Dealer Jailed For Selling Over Rs 1.6 Crore Art To Hezbollah Donor
A British art dealer who appeared on BBC television shows appraising antiques was jailed Friday for two years and six months for failing to report "high-value" art sales to a suspected Hezbollah donor. Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, was sentenced by London's Old Bailey criminal court for selling artwork worth almost £163;140,000 (Rs 1,62,44,816) to Nazem Ahmad, suspected of financing Lebanon's Hezbollah which is banned as a terrorist group in the UK. "You knew about Ahmad's suspected involvement in financing terrorism and the way the art market can be exploited by people like him," the sentencing judge, Bobbie Cheema-Grubb, said. Ojiri pleaded guilty to eight offences of failing to disclose information under the Terrorism Act, and is thought to be the first person convicted under the specific charge. The art expert, who appeared on the BBC show Bargain Hunters and who owned a gallery in London, sold eight artworks to Ahmad -- whose name was kept off the paperwork -- between October 2020 and December 2021. Ahmad, a Lebanon-based wealthy art collector, was sanctioned in 2019 by United States authorities, who suspect him of being a "high-level" Hezbollah financer. Ojiri was "aware of the financial sanctions" the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. He sought to "conceal the identity of the true purchaser by changing the details on invoices" and saving Ahmad under a different name on his phone, according to Bethan David from the CPS's Counter Terrorism Division "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," added David. The art dealer was arrested in April 2023, on the same day that the UK government announced sanctions against Ahmad. His lawyer said Ojiri was arrested "while filming a BBC television programme", adding that the defendant had been "naive". London's Met Police officers also seized several artworks, including a Picasso and one by Andy Warhol, belonging to Ahmad from two UK warehouses as part of a joint operation with US Homeland Security. The case "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," said Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command.
Nahar Net
3 days ago
- Nahar Net
UK art expert sentenced to prison for selling works to suspected Hezbollah financier
by Naharnet Newsdesk 07 June 2025, 11:49 An art expert who appeared on the BBC's Bargain Hunt show was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for failing to report his sale of pricey works to a suspected financier of Lebanon's Hezbollah. At a previous hearing, Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, had pleaded guilty to eight offenses under the Terrorism Act 2000. The art sales for about 140,000 pounds ($185,000) to Nazem Ahmad, a diamond and art dealer sanctioned by the UK and U.S. as a Hezbollah financier, took place between October 2020 and December 2021. The sanctions were designed to prevent anyone in the UK or U.S. from trading with Ahmad or his businesses. Ojiri, who also appeared on the BBC's Antiques Road Trip, faced a possible sentence of five years in prison in the hearing at London's Central Criminal Court, which is better known as the Old Bailey. In addition to the prison term, Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said Ojiri faces an additional year on license — a period of time after a prison sentence ends when an offender must stay out of trouble or risk going back to prison. She told Ojiri he had been involved in a commercial relationship "for prestige and profit" and that until his involvement with Ahmad, he was "someone to be admired." "You knew about Ahmad's suspected involvement in financing terrorism and the way the art market can be exploited by someone like him," she said. "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 Met's investigation into Ojiri was carried out alongside Homeland Security in the U.S., which is conducting a wider investigation into alleged money laundering by Ahmad using shell companies. "This 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, pursue those who knowingly do business with people identified as funders of terrorist groups," said Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command. Ahmad was sanctioned in 2019 by the U.S. Treasury, which said he was a prominent Lebanon-based money launderer involved in smuggling blood diamonds, which are mined in conflict zones and sold to finance violence. Two years ago, the UK Treasury froze Ahmad's assets because he financed Hezbollah. Following Ojiri's arrest in April 2023, the Met obtained a warrant to seize a number of artworks, including a Picasso and Andy Warhol paintings, belonging to Ahmad and held in two warehouses in the UK. The collection, valued at almost 1 million pounds, is due to be sold with the funds to be reinvested back into the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Home Office.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
BBC ‘Bargain Hunt' expert jailed over art sales to ‘Hezbollah financier'
Oghenochuko Ojiri (53) sold artwork worth around £140,000 (€166,000) 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 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'.
STV News
4 days ago
- Business
- STV News
Bargain Hunt star jailed over art sales linked to suspected Hezbollah financier
A BBC Bargain Hunt art expert has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for failing to report high-value art sales to a man suspected of financing the militant group Hezbollah. Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, from Brent, north London, sold around £140,000 worth of artwork to Nazem Ahmad, a man designated by US authorities as a suspected financier for the Lebanese organisation, a court heard last month. Ojiri, from 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 under the specific offence. The art dealer, who also appeared on the BBC's Antiques Road Trip, was charged with failing to disclose information about transactions in the regulated art market 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 helping to evade terrorism sanctions by using front companies to obtain more than $160 million (£120 million) worth of art and diamond services. After new money laundering rules brought the art market under HMRC supervision in January 2020, Ojiri reportedly discussed the changes with a colleague, indicating he was aware of the regulations. The court previously heard that the total value of the artwork sold was around £140,000. Ojiri was sentenced to two years and six months in prison at the Old Bailey on Friday, with a further year to be spent on licence. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Roya News
4 days ago
- Roya News
UK dealer jailed for secret art sales to suspected Hezbollah financier
A British art dealer once featured on BBC television has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison for concealing art sales to a Lebanese collector suspected of financing Hezbollah, a group banned as a terrorist organization in the UK. Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, who appeared on the BBC show Bargain Hunters and operated a London gallery, admitted to selling nearly 140,000 pounds (USD 190,000) worth of artwork to Nazem Ahmad between October 2020 and December 2021. Ahmad, a high-profile collector based in Lebanon, has been under US sanctions since 2019 over allegations of funding Hezbollah. 'You knew about Ahmad's suspected involvement in financing terrorism and the way the art market can be exploited by people like him,' Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb told Ojiri during sentencing at London's Old Bailey court. Ojiri pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to disclose information under the Terrorism Act—making him the first person in the UK convicted under this specific charge. Prosecutors said the dealer was fully aware of UK sanctions against Ahmad and deliberately hid his identity by altering invoice records and saving his contact under a false name. '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,' said Bethan David of the Crown Prosecution Service's Counter Terrorism Division. Ojiri's arrest came in April 2023, coinciding with a UK government announcement of new sanctions against Ahmad. His lawyer described the defendant as 'naive,' noting he was arrested while filming a BBC program. Authorities also seized several valuable artworks, including pieces by Picasso and Andy Warhol, from UK storage facilities linked to Ahmad, in a coordinated operation with US Homeland Security. 'This case 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,' said Dominic Murphy, who heads the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command.
