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Bargain Hunt star Ochuko Ojiri has been jailed for failing to report a series of high-value art sales to a man suspected of being a Hezbollah financier.

The art dealer, 53, pleaded guilty to eight counts under the Terrorism Act 2000 of failing to make a disclosure during the course of business.

He was sentenced at the Old Bailey to two and a half years jail time, with a further year on licence, after selling artwork worth around £140,000 to Nazem Ahmad, a man designated by US authorities as a suspected financier for the Lebanese organisation.

Ojiri has made regular appearances on the BBC programme as well as Antiques Road Trip.

The 53-year-old, from west London, was charged following an investigation into terrorist financing by officers from the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit (NTFIU), part of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, a Met Police statement reveals.

He is the first person to be charged with a specific offence under Section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The offences relate to a period from October 2020 to December 2021.

US prosecutors have said Nazem Ahmad was a ‘major Hezbollah financial donor’ who used high-value art and diamonds to launder money and fund the group.

Ojiri is said to have discussed the introduction of new money laundering regulations with a colleague, indicating awareness of the rules. The changes brought the art market under HMRC supervision.

Described as an ‘expert’ in a Bargain Hunt Q&A on the BBC’s website, Ojiri said he was ‘absolutely obsessed’ with collecting contemporary art, paintings, prints, sculpture and drawings.

He also discusses his role and says his favourite parts of it are ‘meeting new people,  and breathing new life and context into forgotten and neglected treasures’.

When asked why he chose a career in antiques, he said: ‘No other industry would accept my rare mixture of sarcasm, cynicism and passion.’

He also said he had ‘no idea’ why he became involved in Bargain Hunt, and would want to work in ‘forecast trends’ if not in antiques.

‘You’re literally looking into the future, deciding what you’ll eat before you’re even hungry. Mind blowing.’

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Three Premier League managers are leading the race to become the next Tottenham Hotspur boss after Ange Postecoglou was sacked.

After weeks, if not months of speculation, Postecoglou was axed on Friday evening, two years to the day after he joined the north London club from Celtic.

That’s despite the Australian masterminding the Europa League final victory against Manchester United in May, ending Spurs’ 17-year trophy drought.

While that also secured the club’s return to the Champions League, Tottenham shockingly finished 17th in the Premier League table, losing 22 of 38 matches.

Postecoglou was bullish after the Europa league triumph, telling fans at the trophy parade that: ‘All the best TV series, season three is better than season two,’ suggesting his job was safe.

He did later remark however that: ‘Sometimes they kill off the main character,’ before season three and that is exactly what Tottenham owner Daniel Levy has done.

In terms of who will succeed Postecoglou, the club said in their statement: ‘News on the appointment of a new Head Coach will be announced in due course.’

Brentford boss Thomas Frank is the overwhelming favourite to get the job according to the bookmakers after his impressive work at west London.

The Dane got the Bees promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 2021 and has since established them as a solid mid-table club on a tight budget.

Sky Sports report Frank is the ‘leading contender’ but no talks have taken place between the manager and clubs.

Fulham boss Marco Silva and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner are frontrunners, the latter having recently guided the Eagles to FA Cup glory, their first ever major trophy.

Former Tottenham midfielder Michael Carrick is also among the candidates having just been sacked by Championship club Middlesbrough, as is Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, a former Spurs youth player and coach.

Xavi Hernandez, out of work since leaving Barcelona last summer and Bournemouth’s highly-rated head coach Andoni Iraola are also on the shortlist.

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