Art News. Vasari Codex

article news schedule Jan 13, 2026 visibility 15 link 1 artist, 2 galleries

hauser and wirth russia sanctions case court date

A UK judge has scheduled a 10-day trial for January 2028 in the case against mega-gallery Hauser & Wirth and liquidated shipping firm Artay Rauchwerger Solomons over alleged violations of UK sanctions against Russia. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charged the gallery with making George Condo's 2021 work on paper, *Escape from Humanity*, available in 2022 to a person connected to Russia. The next hearing is set for May 5, 2026, for arraignment. Hauser & Wirth has stated it strongly contests the charge and intends to plead not guilty, while the shipping company went into voluntary liquidation in April 2024.

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article news schedule Jan 12, 2026 visibility 16 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

hauser and wirth russia sanctions trial

Hauser & Wirth and art shipping company Artay Rauchwerger Solomons face trial over charges of evading U.K. sanctions by allegedly making artist George Condo's 2021 work on paper, *Escape from Humanity*, available to a person connected with Russia in 2022. The U.K. Crown Prosecution Service brought the charge in November, and a judge has scheduled a 10-day trial for January 2028, with a hearing on May 5, 2026, for arraignment. Hauser & Wirth has stated it will plead not guilty, while the shipping firm, which went into voluntary liquidation in April 2024, did not respond to requests for comment.

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article news schedule Jun 9, 2025 visibility 10

dealer oghenochuko ojiri jail sentence hezbollah financier

London art dealer Oghenochuko Ojiri has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison for failing to declare that he sold artworks to Nazem Ahmad, a collector sanctioned by the US government since 2019 for financing Hezbollah. Ojiri pleaded guilty in May to eight charges of failing to disclose potential terrorist financing under the Terrorism Act 2000, marking the first conviction under this specific offense. Evidence showed Ojiri researched Ahmad's identity, saved him as 'Moss Collector' in his contacts to obscure the relationship, and ignored a colleague's warning, all while continuing transactions to boost his gallery's reputation.

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article policy schedule Aug 1, 2025 visibility 12 link 1 artist

senator john fetterman proposes bill to apply anti money laundering protections to us art market

On July 23, U.S. Senator John Fetterman introduced the Art Market Integrity Act, a bill that would apply anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing regulations to art dealers, auction houses, galleries, advisers, consultants, custodians, museums, collectors, and other intermediaries in the art market. The legislation amends the Bank Secrecy Act, requiring these entities to conduct client due diligence, maintain records, and report suspicious transactions. It exempts artists selling their own work, nonprofits, and businesses with under $50,000 in annual art transactions. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley, Sheldon Whitehouse, Bill Cassidy, Andy Kim, and David McCormick.

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article policy schedule Sep 24, 2025 visibility 14 link 1 gallery

uk art dealers fined money laundering

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has published a new round of fines against UK art market participants for anti-money laundering (AML) compliance failures, covering October 2024 to March 2025. Notable penalties include £158,679 levied against London-based DYS44 Art Gallery Limited, whose director is Old Masters dealer Cesare Lampronti, for procedural violations such as lacking risk assessments, policies, staff training, and due diligence. Other fines include Atlas Gallery (£28,500) for failing to report material business changes. Over 80 penalties were issued in this six-month period, compared to 61 in the previous 20 months, signaling a sharp enforcement uptick.

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