An art dealer who featured on the television show Bargain Hunt has pleaded guilty following a police investigation into terrorist financing.
Oghenochuko ‘Ochuko’ Ojiri, 53, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to make a disclosure during the course of business within the regulated sector, contrary to section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard he sold art to a known Hezbollah financier to a value of about £140,000.
The art dealer has also appeared on the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip.
Prosecutor Lyndon Harris said Ojiri sold art to Nazem Ahmed, a suspected financier of Hezbollah.
“At the time of the transactions, Mr Ojiri knew Mr Ahmed had been sanctioned in the US,” Mr Harris told the court.
“Mr Ojiri accessed news reports about Mr Ahmed’s designation and engaged in discussions with others about his designation.”
“There is one discussion where Mr Ojiri is party to a conversation where it is apparent a lot of people have known for years about his terrorism links.”
Ojiri “dealt with Mr Ahmed directly, negotiated the sales of artwork and congratulated him on those sales,” according to Mr Harris.
Each count Ojiri faced related to an individual sale of art, which were sent to Dubai, UAE and Beirut.
The prosecution told the court Ojiri knew his buyer’s background and the restrictions in place and even took legal advice before going ahead with the sales anyway.
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Ojiri, from west London, has been bailed ahead of his sentencing at the Old Bailey on 6 June.
He was ordered to surrender his passport and not apply for international travel documents.
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“He is not a flight risk,” Gavin Irwin, mitigating, told the court.
“The fact that he is here – he has left the UK and has always returned knowing he may be charged with offences – he will be here on the next occasion.”
