Art dealer pleads guilty to Terrorism Act offence

An art dealer from London has become the first person to be convicted of a specific offence under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53 (05.05.72) of west London, was charged following an investigation into terrorist financing by officers from the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit, part of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

Ojiri appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 9 May and pleaded guilty to all the charges. He will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 6 June.

Following CPS authorisation, he was charged with eight counts of failing to make a disclosure during the course of business within the regulated sector, contrary to section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000. The charges relate to a period from October 2020 to December 2021.

He was first arrested on Tuesday, 18 April 2023 in Wales. The charges relate to the sale of art to Nazem Ahmad, a man who has been sanctioned by the UK Treasury, suspected of financing Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist group by the UK Government. He was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2019.

The investigation has been carried out in partnership with the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in HM Treasury, HMRC, and the Met’s Arts and Antiques Unit.