Estranged husband convicted of murder-for-hire in killing of New York City art dealer in Brazil

U.S. newsEstranged husband convicted of murder-for-hire in killing of New York City art dealer in BrazilThe estranged husband of a prominent New York City art dealer has been convicted of hiring a hitman to kill him in Brazil.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 23, 2026, 9:58 AM EDTBy The Associated PressThe estranged husband of a prominent New York City art dealer was convicted Friday of hiring a hitman to kill him in Brazil.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Daniel Sikkema, 55, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Brent Sikkema, 75, was found stabbed to death in his Rio de Janeiro townhouse in January 2024.Daniel Sikkema, a U.S. and Cuban citizen who lived in New York, was arrested in April 2024. He was convicted in federal court in Manhattan of charges including murder-for-hire conspiracy resulting in death.The alleged hitman was arrested in Brazil, where he remains jailed.“Amid contentious divorce proceedings with his then-husband, Daniel Sikkema used a burner phone line to callously order the killing of his husband,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said.Brent Sikkema in New York City in 2007.Will Ragozzino / Patrick McMullan via Getty ImagesClayton described Brent Sikkema’s killing as a “senseless, cold-blooded murder” and said the verdict brings a “meaningful measure of justice.”Daniel Sikkema’s lawyer, Florian Miedel, said they were disappointed in the verdict and plan to appeal.“Daniel is staying strong and hopes to be vindicated in the end,” Miedel said.Brent Sikkema had amassed a multimillion-dollar estate and owned a Manhattan contemporary art gallery that became Sikkema Malloy Jenkins, which says on its website that it has represented international artists like Kara Walker, Vik Muniz and Arturo Herrera for nearly 30 years.Daniel Sikkema was in frequent contact with the alleged hitman before and after the killing, prosecutors said.A...