Oghenochuko Ojiri, a 53-year-old art dealer and television personality, pleaded guilty to selling artworks valued at £140,000 to a suspected Hezbollah financier. The case raises concerns about the art market and its potential connections to terrorism financing.
U.K. Art Dealer Confesses to Selling Artwork Linked to Hezbollah Financing
U.K. Art Dealer Confesses to Selling Artwork Linked to Hezbollah Financing
Oghenochuko Ojiri, a prominent British antiquities expert, admits to facilitating art sales to an individual connected to terrorist financing, igniting discussions on art market regulations.
Oghenochuko Ojiri, an art dealer known for his appearances on BBC's “Bargain Hunt,” faced London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday after pleading guilty to failing to disclose his dealings with a suspected Hezbollah financier. The charges against the 53-year-old include eight counts related to terrorist financing.
Ojiri's sales involved several artworks to Nazem Ahmad, an individual sanctioned by both the United States and the U.K. for alleged connections to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant organization recognized as a terrorist group. The total value of the artworks sold between October 2020 and January 2022 reached approximately £140,000, equivalent to about $186,000.
The prosecution, represented by Lyndon Harris, outlined Ojiri’s awareness of Ahmad's suspected ties to terrorist financing. The implications of the case extend beyond the individual actions of the dealer, spotlighting the need for increased scrutiny within the art market to prevent similar situations.
The BBC confirmed that while Ojiri was previously listed as one of the experts on "Bargain Hunt," he had not participated in any episodes since 2023 and worked only as a freelancer for the network. This unfolding story prompts further analysis and discussions about the responsibilities of art dealers in monitoring the clientele they serve, especially concerning potential ties to criminal financing.
