UK TV Art Expert Jailed 2.5 Years for Selling Art to Suspected Hezbollah Financier

Oghenochuko Ojiri, a London art dealer and television personality known for his appearances on BBC's Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for failing to disclose sales totaling approximately £140,000 to Nazem Ahmad, a diamond and art dealer sanctioned by the UK and US for financing Hezbollah. Ojiri pleaded guilty to eight offenses under the Terrorism Act 2000 for transactions conducted between October 2020 and December 2021, despite being aware of Ahmad’s sanctioned status and suspected terrorist financing activities. This case marks the first prosecution under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000, underscoring law enforcement's commitment to preventing terrorist financing through the art market. The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command in collaboration with US Homeland Security and other regulatory bodies. Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb emphasized the severity of Ojiri's offenses and sentenced him to an additional year on license following his prison term, while noting there was no evidence Ojiri supported extremism. The case serves as a warning to art dealers about the legal risks of engaging with individuals linked to terrorist funding.