The separated husband from the New York art merchant is accused of rent for rent in Brazil

New York (AP)-federal prosecutors have accused the husband separated from a murdered art merchant from New York City in a rental murder plot, saying that he made multiple payments to the Man arrested by murder In Brazil during a contentious divorce.

Daniel Sikkema, 54, from New York, was accused Tuesday for positions of murder conspiracy, as well as passport fraud.

“The allegedly hired defendant for a hired assassin to facilitate the international murder of her husband and tried to hide her participation in this insensitive plan,” said FBI’s assistant director James E. Dennehy in a statement.

Sikkema’s lawyer said his client is confident that he will finally be authorized by the positions.

“Lord. Sikkema has constantly maintained his innocence. And he is completely sure that he will be claimed at the trial,” said his lawyer Richard Levitt to The Associated Press by phone on Wednesday.

Sikkema’s husband, Brent Sikkema, then 75, had found stabbed to death In January 2024 at his home in Rio de Janeiro, where he was traveling regularly. Brent Sikkema, who, according to prosecutors, had accumulated a multimillionaire property, co -owner of the Sikkema Jenkins & Co. contemporary gallery in Manhattan.

The gallery represents international artists such as Jeffrey Gibson, Kara Walker and Vik Muniz.

Shortly after the murder, the Rio State Police arrested a man who identified as Alejandro Triana Trevez near the city of Uberaba, in the neighboring state of Minas Gerais. The man was fleeing and found himself resting at a service station.

An accusation revealed on Wednesday said that Daniel Sikkema, American and Cuban citizen, sent multiple payments to Trevez and his romantic partner in Cuba, from mid -2023 to January 2024. His own identity.

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