The UK Metropolitan Police service has stated that the first-of-its-kind prosecution of an artwork seller underneath part 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000 ought to function a warning to all artwork sellers. The assertion, issued yesterday by the Counter-Terrorism Command unit, pertains to the prosecution of Oghenochuko Ojiri, the proprietor of Ojiri Gallery in east London.
Ojiri did not report a collection of high-value artwork gross sales to a person suspected of financing Hezbollah, which has been proscribed by the UK authorities as a terrorist organisation since 2019. The gallerist of Brent, north London, beforehand pleaded responsible to eight offences underneath the Terrorism Act 2000 and was jailed earlier this month for 2 and a half years.
Commander Dominic Murphy, the top of the Counter Terrorism Command unit, stated in an announcement: “This prosecution, utilizing particular Terrorism Act laws, is the primary of its sort and will act as a warning to all artwork sellers that we are able to, and can, pursue those that knowingly do enterprise with individuals recognized as funders of terrorist teams.”
The prosecution adopted an investigation by the Nationwide Terrorist Financing Investigation Unit (NTFIU), alongside the Workplace of Monetary Sanctions Implementation in HM Treasury, HMRC, the UK’s tax authority, and the Met’s Artwork and Antiques Unit. US Homeland Safety was additionally a collaborator.
Ojiri bought works value round £140,000 to Nazem Ahmad, a collector primarily based in Lebanon, who’s designated by US authorities as a suspected financier for Hezbollah. Based on the assertion from the Counter Terrorism Command Unit, officers analysed a collection of Ojiri’s invoices and recognized that eight purchases had been accomplished in opposition to names that weren’t Ahmad’s, regardless of Ojiri figuring out that the sale was being performed for him and on his behalf.
Bethan David, the top of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, stated: “It’s clear that Oghenochuko Ojiri was conscious of recent cash laundering rules within the artwork world and that he had data of Nazem Ahmad’s background. Ojiri engaged in exercise designed to hide the identification of the true purchaser by altering the main points on invoices and storing Mr Ahmad’s title underneath a unique alias in his cell phone.”
Ojiri was subsequently arrested on 18 April 2023 in Wrexham, the identical day the UK authorities introduced sanctions in opposition to Ahmad, who has additionally been sanctioned by the US authorities since 2019.
Officers obtained a warrant to grab 23 works belonging to Ahmad held in two UK-based warehouses. The works, together with unnamed work by Picasso and Andy Warhol, had been seized on 4 Might 2023. The NTFIU obtained a forfeiture order later the identical yr.
The Counter Terrorism Command unit stated: “The works, valued at nearly £1m, are on account of be bought and the funds might be reinvested again into the police, CPS [crown prosecution service] and UK Residence Workplace.” The assertion provides that the prosecution is in step with anti-money laundering rules carried out in 2021 by the HMRC, that are relevant to “artwork market members”.
Final yr, the Nationwide Crime Company issued an amber alert warning that storage amenities for artistic endeavors may very well be utilized by criminals “in search of a capital asset that may be safely saved, that appreciates in worth over time, and that may be liquidated if and when required” . The company warned of potential felony exploitation of the sector by people topic to Russia sanctions.
Gavin Irwin, the lawyer representing Ojiri, stated in the meantime that the artwork seller’s “humiliation is full”, and that the star of BBC exhibits together with Cut price Hunt and Antiques Highway Journey has misplaced “his good title”. The BBC confirmed: “Oghenochuko Ojiri will not be a member of workers however a contract presenter. He’s not at present working with the BBC and has not labored on BBC programmes since 2023.”
