British-Nigerian art dealer and former BBC television expert Oghenochuko “Ochuko” Ojiri has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison by a UK court for selling artworks worth over £140,000 to a sanctioned Lebanese businessman suspected of financing Hezbollah.

This marks the first conviction under a specific provision of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000 targeting the failure to report suspected terrorist financing in the regulated art sector.

Ojiri, 53, who gained national recognition for his appearances on BBC’s Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip, pleaded guilty to eight offenses under Section 21A of the act.

The charges relate to his transactions with Nazem Ahmad, a prominent art collector who has been sanctioned by both the United States and the United Kingdom for allegedly providing financial support to the militant group Hezbollah, which is banned in the UK.

Between October 2020 and December 2021, Ojiri conducted multiple art sales through his East London-based Ramp Gallery, later renamed Ojiri Gallery.

Despite being aware of Ahmad’s designation as a terrorist financier, Ojiri went ahead with the transactions, even altering invoices and using aliases such as “Moss” to conceal the true buyer’s identity.

The Old Bailey heard that Ojiri ignored compliance warnings and industry guidance regarding dealings with sanctioned individuals.

During sentencing, Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb criticized Ojiri for placing personal gain above legal and moral responsibility.

She said he “closed his eyes to Mr. Ahmad’s dark side” and emphasized that the defendant had multiple opportunities to report suspicious activity but deliberately chose not to.

The conviction follows a lengthy investigation led by the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit in collaboration with HM Revenue & Customs and the Metropolitan Police’s Arts and Antiques Unit.

Authorities seized nearly £1 million in artwork linked to Ahmad, including pieces by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.

The seized items will be sold by the government, with proceeds directed to British law enforcement and counter-terrorism efforts.

Ojiri was arrested in April 2023 while filming a BBC program in Wrexham. Though he was not a full-time BBC employee, the broadcaster confirmed he has not appeared on any of its programs since 2023. His defense team requested leniency based on his previously clean record and cooperation with investigators.

However, the judge found his concealment of Ahmad’s identity to be deliberate and serious.

The case has drawn attention to the vulnerability of the international art market to misuse by criminal and terrorist networks. Officials say the conviction sends a strong message to art dealers and gallery owners across the UK about the critical importance of complying with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance laws. Ojiri will serve an additional one year on license following his release, during which any further legal violations could result in a return to prison.