A British art dealer who appeared on a BBC antiques show has pleaded guilty to selling artworks to a suspected financier for Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group.
Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, pleaded guilty during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Friday to eight charges of failing to disclose potential terrorist financing
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is a designated as a terrorist organization by Britain and the United States.
Mr. Ojiri, who owns an art gallery in East London, made frequent appearances as an expert advising contestants on the popular British television show “Bargain Hunt” and other programs.
Prosecutor Lyndon Harris told the court that Mr. Ojiri had sold several artworks to Nazem Ahmad, whom he knew to be a suspected terrorist financier sanctioned by the United States and Britain because of links to Hezbollah.
The value of the artworks Mr. Ojiri sold to Mr. Ahmad between October 2020 and January 2022 was approximately £140,000 ($186,000 at current exchange rates), Mr. Harris said.
The BBC said that while Mr. Ojiri, when charged, was listed on the “Bargain Hunt” website as one of the show’s experts, he had not worked on any BBC programs since 2023 and had been a freelancer rather than a member of the corporation’s staff.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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