Oghenochuko Ojiri, who was a regular on the BBC show “Bargain Hunt” as an art expert, recently admitted to assisting in financing the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The shocking confession was made during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London. Ojiri pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to disclose potential terrorist financing, which is a pretty serious offense.
Hezbollah, a group supported by Iran and considered a terrorist organization by both the US and the UK, was the recipient of the funds provided by Ojiri. The transactions involved the sale of artwork to Nazem Ahmad, a suspected terrorist financier with ties to Hezbollah. Prosecutors alleged that Ojiri attempted to conceal the true ownership of the art pieces by listing “other individuals suggested by Mr. Ahmad’s associates.”
The deals took place between October 2020 and January 2022, totaling a value of $186K. It was revealed that Ojiri was aware of Ahmad’s designation as a suspected terrorist financier in the US and engaged in discussions about it. This ultimately led to his arrest by counterterrorism police on April 18, 2023, after a lengthy investigation.
Before his arrest, Ojiri appeared on multiple episodes of “Bargain Hunt” as a freelance expert, where contestants compete to buy antiques and sell them at auction for a profit. However, following his conviction, BBC removed Ojiri from the show’s official website. It seems like his days as a TV expert are over for now.
Despite the seriousness of the charges against him, Ojiri was granted bail by District Judge Briony Clarke. However, he was required to surrender his passport and is set to be sentenced on June 6. It’s unclear what the outcome will be for the former BBC star, but it’s definitely a troubling situation for everyone involved.
All in all, Ojiri’s involvement with Hezbollah and terrorist financing has brought significant consequences for him. It’s not every day that a TV personality gets caught up in such serious legal issues. Hopefully, this serves as a lesson to others who may be tempted to engage in similar activities.
