June 07, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
Ogeneochuko Ojiri, Nigerian-British art dealer has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for failing to report high-value art transactions involving Nazem Ahmad, a suspected Hezbollah financier.
The 53-Year old man admitted to selling approximately £140,000 worth of artwork to Ahmad, despite knowing his alleged ties to the terrorist organization.
Ojiri, who appeared on the BBC program Antiques Road Trip, pleaded guilty to eight counts under the Terrorism Act 2000 for withholding information about the suspicious transactions.
Prosecutors alleged that Ojiri deliberately concealed the dealings, manipulating invoices and saving Ahmad’s name under an alias in his phone.
Justice Cheema-Grubb criticized Ojiri’s actions, stating that he prioritized financial gain and business reputation over his duty to alert authorities about Ahmad’s suspected terrorist links.
Ojiri was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison, with an additional year on extended license.
Ojiri was arrested on April 18, 2023, while filming a BBC show, and faced subsequent sentencing. Authorities seized artworks valued at nearly £1 million, including pieces by Picasso and Warhol, from two UK warehouses.
