Art appraiser Oghenochuko Ojiri imprisoned for omitting the sale of art pieces to a suspected Hezbollah financier's network
TV show Bargain Hunt expert, Oghenochuko Ojiri, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term for not reporting the sale of artwork to a man under investigation for financing Hezbollah – a terror organization. This 53-year-old art dealer, known for his appearances on other BBC programs like Antiques Road Trip, sold around £140,000 worth of artwork to Nazem Ahmad from October 2020 to December 2021.
Courts described Ahmad, a prominent financier for Hezbollah, as a diamond dealer with an expansive art collection valued in the millions. The art dealer Ojiri, who owned the Ramp Gallery, admitted eight counts of business non-disclosure, violating section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000.
While authorities seized numerous artworks, including works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, Ojiri's barrister argued that his arrest during an on-set BBC filming was an embarrassing turn of events. Upon sentencing, Ojiri was given two and a half years in prison, followed by an additional year on extended license.
The judge criticized Ojiri, saying he knowingly sold to Ahmad despite understanding his nefarious intentions. The judge stated that Ojiri saw his actions as a "shameful fall from grace" for a public figure and role model in the arts and antiques sector.
Police department heads consider this case as a groundbreaking precedent for art dealers, urging them to follow reporting regulations to prevent the use of art in illegal activities.
In light of the judge's criticism, art dealers are urged to follow reporting regulations to prevent the use of art in illegal activities, similar to the cautionary case of Oghenochuko Ojiri, who knowingly sold artwork to a man under investigation for financing a terror organization, despite understanding his nefarious intentions. The sale of artworks, including pieces by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, to a prominent financier for Hezbollah, was part of the political landscape and general-news headlines, revealing the intersection of crime-and-justice with the art world.
