Ogeneochuko Ojiri, a 53-year-old British-Nigerian art dealer, has been handed a prison sentence of two and a half years after admitting to concealing art sales linked to an individual suspected of funding Hezbollah.
Ojiri, who once featured on the BBC show Antiques Road Trip, admitted to selling around £140,000 worth of artwork to Nazem Ahmad, a collector believed to have financial ties to the proscribed terrorist group.
Authorities said the dealer knowingly failed to report the transactions, despite being aware of Ahmad’s background.
He pleaded guilty to eight counts under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000, specifically Section 21A, which makes it an offence to withhold information that could help prevent the financing of terrorism — making him the first person to be convicted under that section.
Prosecutors told the court that Ojiri tried to cover up the nature of his dealings with Ahmad.
He was said to have altered invoice details and saved the collector’s contact under a false name in his phone to avoid detection.
According to the prosecution, Ojiri’s motivation was rooted in personal and business gain.
The court heard that he sought to increase the prestige of his Shoreditch-based gallery, Ojiri Gallery, by working with a high-profile art buyer, despite the risks.
At the Old Bailey, Justice Cheema-Grubb condemned Ojiri’s actions, stating that he had “chosen to prioritise financial gain and business reputation over a legal obligation to report suspicious activity.”
In addition to his prison term, Ojiri was also placed on a one-year extended licence.
Ojiri’s lawyer, Kevin Irwin, told the court that his client was arrested in April 2023 while filming a BBC programme in Wrexham.
Irwin added that the public nature of the case had caused significant embarrassment for his client.
On the same day Ojiri was arrested, the UK government imposed sanctions on Ahmad.
Authorities later seized artworks valued at nearly £1 million from two storage facilities, including pieces by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.