Popular television antiques expert Ochuko Ojiri has pleaded guilty to eight charges related to terrorist financing in a shocking development that has sent ripples through the British television industry.
The 53-year-old Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip personality appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning dressed in a gray suit and dark tie, where he quietly admitted to all charges related to failing to disclose information during business transactions within a regulated sector.
Ojiri becomes the first person to be charged under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000 for these specific offenses, which carry significant legal penalties.
The court heard that the art dealer sold works valued at £138,150 to Nazem Ahmad, a known Hezbollah financier who had been sanctioned by the United States. The transactions, comprising nine separate deals, occurred between October 2020 and December 2021, with the artwork being shipped to locations in Dubai and Beirut.
Prosecutors revealed that Ojiri was fully aware of Ahmad’s sanctioned status and terrorist connections, with evidence showing the TV presenter had conducted internet searches about Ahmad’s links to the “blood diamond” trade and terrorist financing activities. Despite this knowledge, Ojiri proceeded with the business relationship and even “congratulated him on successful purchases.”
When first arrested by counter-terrorism officers in April 2023, Ojiri initially denied knowledge of Ahmad’s notoriety. However, during a second interview three months later, he admitted to being aware of the sanctions when conducting the deals.
According to statements made to detectives, Ojiri claimed his motivation was not financial greed but rather the “excitement and kudos of dealing with a ‘name’ in the collecting world.” He reportedly told investigators that the connection was seen as a “great accolade” due to Ahmad’s reputation in art circles.
“Despite this knowledge, the defendant commenced and maintained a business relationship with Ahmad,” prosecutors stated, noting that Ojiri had directly negotiated the sales with the sanctioned individual.
The investigation was conducted through a partnership between the Metropolitan Police’s National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in HM Treasury, HMRC, and the Met’s Arts & Antiques Unit.
Before his legal troubles, Ojiri had built a successful career in the art and antiques world. He founded London’s Ramp Gallery, which specializes in emerging and contemporary artists, and previously co-owned Pelicans & Parrots, a vintage shop and art gallery in Dalston that operated until October 2021.
The BBC, which airs both Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip, has refrained from extensive comment, stating only that “it would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
Ojiri has been released on bail and is scheduled to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on June 6, where he faces potentially significant prison time for his admitted offenses. (Mirror)