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The United States and United Kingdom took action on Tuesday against a Lebanese businessman and art dealer Nazem Said Ahmad, who is suspected of helping finance Hezbollah operations.
The British government ordered a freeze on all Ahmed's assets and banned doing business with him. An hour after the British announcement, American authorities charged Ahmad with evading similar US sanctions imposed in 2019. US prosecutors said Ahmad had exported hundreds of millions of dollars worth of diamonds and artwork in spite of the legal measures.
The British government announced it was imposing sanctions on Ahmad, also a diamond dealer, under its counter-terrorism sanctions regime. Ahmad, a noted art collector, does business with British artists, galleries and auction houses. As British citizens are no longer allowed to do business with Ahmad or any of the companies he owns or operates, several of which are listed specifically in the law. Ahmad will no longer be able to trade in the UK art market and no other art dealers will be able to do business with him or his companies, including ones based in Beirut.
A statement issued by the British government noted that Ahmad has been sanctioned in the interest of national security. It read, "The move will also protect the integrity of the UK economy from terrorist financing threats.” The statement notes the move is “the first use of the Treasury-led domestic counter terrorism regime, which is used to target those who HM Treasury has reasonable grounds to suspect are involved in terrorist activity.”
A statement issued by the US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, said that a nine-count indictment was unsealed on Tuesday against Ahmad and eight co-defendants, charging them with conspiring to defraud the United States and foreign governments, evade US sanctions and launder money.
“Ahmad and his coconspirators relied on a complex web of business entities to obtain valuable artwork from US artists and art galleries and to secure US-based diamond-grading services all while hiding Ahmad’s involvement in and benefit from these activities. Approximately $160 million worth of artwork and diamond-grading services were transacted through the US financial system,” read the statement.
The British government designated Hezbollah’s External Security Organization as a terrorist organization in 2001, extending the designation to the group’s military apparatus seven years later. The United States considers Hezbollah a foreign terrorist organization. The European Union designated Hezbollah’s military wing as terror organization in 2020.
Earlier in the day, US authorities announced a reward of up to $7 million for information on key Hezbollah figure Ibrahim Aqil, who serves on the party's highest military body.
