British judge sets 2028 criminal trial for Hauser & Wirth in Russia sanctions case
The trial is expected to be heard at Southwark Crown Court in London and is scheduled to run for 10 days.
Law and Crime
A British judge has scheduled a criminal trial for January 2028 in the case against the international gallery Hauser & Wirth, which is accused of breaching Russia sanctions by making a work of art available to a person connected with Russia.
The trial is expected to be heard at Southwark Crown Court in London and is scheduled to run for 10 days. The court also scheduled a procedural hearing for May 5, 2026, when the defendants are expected to enter their pleas.
The charges stem from allegations that Hauser & Wirth and a London-based art shipping company violated UK sanctions regulations that prohibit the supply or making available of luxury items, including high-value artworks, to Russian-linked individuals. The sanctions were introduced after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Prosecutors have alleged that a 2021 work on paper by artist George Condo was made available in 2022 in contravention of restrictions on supplying luxury goods to a person connected with Russia.
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The shipping company, Artay Rauchwerger Solomons Ltd., founded as Art Logistics Limited, entered voluntary liquidation in April 2024, according to corporate records.
Hauser & Wirth has previously said it disputes the charge and intends to plead not guilty.
The case, investigated by the British tax authority HM Revenue and Customs, is reportedly the first criminal prosecution of a company under the UK’s Russia sanctions regime and the first to test the ban on supplying luxury goods to people connected to Russia.
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British authorities have increased scrutiny of art transactions as part of broader efforts to police compliance with financial and trade restrictions linked to Russia.
Follow along with other art crime stories at Urgent Matter’s art crime tracker.
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