Art Expert Guilty of Concealing Sales to Hezbollah Financier

An art expert previously featured on the BBC's Bargain Hunt, Oghenochuko Ojiri, has confessed in court to failing to report sales of high-priced artworks to a known Hezbollah financer.

Standing in Westminster Magistrates' Court, Ojiri admitted to eight charges of non-disclosure related to art sales that took place between October 2020 and December 2021. His client, Nazem Ahmad, has been identified by the UK and US authorities as a financier for the militant group Hezbollah, with sanctions in place to prohibit any business interactions with him.

Prosecutor Lyndon Harris revealed that Ojiri was well aware of Ahmad's sanctioned status, having researched the financier's background and spoken about it with others. Ojiri now faces up to five years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for June 6 in the Central Criminal Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)