Overview
- HMRC brought the case after an investigation, with a pre-trial hearing set for December 16 at Southwark Crown Court following an initial appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
- Court filings center on George Condo’s Escape from Humanity allegedly being made available to collector Alexander Popov between April and December 2022.
- Popov is not on UK sanctions lists and is not accused of wrongdoing, according to reports and court summaries.
- Hauser & Wirth says it strongly contests the single charge and intends to plead not guilty, citing its commitment to sanctions compliance.
- Artay Rauchwerger Solomons (formerly Art Logistics) faces a related charge over the same period and went into voluntary liquidation in 2024, in what is believed to be the first prosecution under the UK luxury-goods ban, which carries penalties of up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine.