TV Art Expert Admits Selling to Sanctioned Hezbollah Financier

Ochuko Ojiri, an art dealer who has worked as an expert on the BBC programme Bargain Hunt, has pleaded guilty to eight counts under the Terrorism Act after selling £140,000 worth of art to suspected Hezbollah financier Nazem Ahmad. 

Mr Ojiri was arrested for dealing with a sanctioned individual and failing to notify authorities that he knew or suspected a client was involved in financing a terrorist group.  

As reported by the BBC, at the time of the transactions “… there was a significant amount of online material showing Ahmad’s alleged links to the “blood diamond” trade…” and Ojiri’s client was sanctioned by the US at the time for ties to Hezbollah.

Nazem Ahmad is currently on both the UK and US sanctions lists, having been placed on the UK sanctions list in April 2023. At the time of his sanctioning, the UK government said that Ahmad had “an extensive art collection in the UK”.

Ochuko Ojiri, founded the Ramp Gallery, now known as the Ojiri Gallery, in 2019. It is based in east London. Alongside Bargain Hunt, he has also appeared on Antiques Road Trip and Storage: Flog the Lot!

What are the consequences? 

For Mr Ojiri, he is facing potential jail time and his reputation will take significant damage, he will be sentenced on 6 June.

For AMPs who fail to comply with the new mandatory reporting obligations bought in on 14 May, the consequences are as follows. For Civil breaches: awards GREATER than £1 million or 50% of value of each breach; for Criminal breaches, unlimited fine and max of two years in prison.

At FCS Compliance, we support galleries, dealers, and auction houses with expert AML training and risk assessments designed to help art market participants identify red flags, understand their obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations, and avoid exactly this kind of fallout. 

If you’re unsure whether your AML programme would stand up to scrutiny, now is the time to review it. Contact us today.