In a landmark legal case, Oghenochuko “Ochuko” Ojiri, a 53‑year‑old art dealer and familiar face on BBC shows such as Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison plus a further year on licence. Convicted under Section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000, Ojiri pleaded guilty to eight offences for failing to report approximately £140,000 worth of artwork sold between October 2020 and December 2021 to Nazem Ahmad, a man under UK and US sanctions as a suspected financier of Hezbollah . Investigation uncovered that Ojiri actively concealed Ahmad’s identity—using false invoice names and aliases saved in his phone—despite being aware of sanctions and new regulations aimed at curbing terrorism financing within the art market The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command highlighted this as the first UK prosecution of its kind, warning art dealers that compliance is now non-negotiable.

This case marks a watershed moment in the intersection of art commerce and national security, demonstrating that regulatory breaches—even by internationally recognised figures—carry severe consequences. Buyers and sellers in the art world are urged to conduct stringent due diligence to avoid unwittingly facilitating illicit financial flows.