Skip to main content
See every side of every news story
Published loading...Updated

British businessman jailed over illegal arms deals to war zones worth millions

Judge Sally-Ann Hales said the men deliberately bypassed export controls in deals worth tens of millions of pounds, prosecutors said.

  • On Wednesday, a London court sentenced British businessman David Greenhalgh and Greek national Christos Farmakis to 16 years each for brokering illegal arms deals between 2009 and 2016.
  • Greenhalgh and Farmakis operated a sophisticated criminal enterprise selling AK-47 assault rifles, missiles, and fighter jets to embargoed regions including Libya and South Sudan, referring to illicit transactions as 'sensitive projects.'
  • Using his position at Greater London Enterprise as a respectable facade, Farmakis helped forge end-user certificates and facilitate bribes to foreign officials, according to prosecutors.
  • While Greenhalgh appeared in court, Farmakis remained absent after fleeing the UK on bail; Judge Sally-Ann Hales described their actions as a 'conscious decision to engage in serious criminal conduct.'
  • The sentencing concludes a seven-year investigation by HMRC; Edwige Hill, deputy director of the Fraud Investigation Service, stated strict export controls protect the UK from military equipment reaching wrong hands.
Insights by Ground AI

9 Articles

Southwark Crown Court in London sentenced 68-year-old British arms broker David Greenhalgh and his 48-year-old Greek accomplice Christos Farmakis (in absentia) to 16 years in prison each for organizing a large-scale international scheme to illegally supply military products. During 2009-2016, the attackers attempted to deliver anti-aircraft missile systems, AK-47 assault rifles, tanks, fighters and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition t…

Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

WTVB broke the news on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal