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2mo ago

BBC Antiques Expert Pleads Guilty to Terror Financing Charges

Oghenochuko Ojiri admitted to selling £140,000 of art to a Hezbollah financier and failing to report the transactions, marking the first prosecution under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000.

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Overview

  • Oghenochuko Ojiri, known for his appearances on BBC's Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip, pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Terrorism Act 2000 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
  • The charges relate to unreported art sales between October 2020 and December 2021 to Nazem Ahmad, a sanctioned financier linked to Hezbollah and accused of using art and diamonds to fund terrorism.
  • Prosecutors revealed Ojiri knowingly engaged in these transactions for personal excitement and recognition, despite being aware of Ahmad's designation as a terrorist financier.
  • This case is the first application of section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000, which mandates reporting of suspicious transactions in regulated sectors like the art market.
  • Ojiri has been released on bail with conditions, including surrendering his passport, and awaits sentencing at the Old Bailey on June 6, where he faces up to five years in prison.