Daniel Sikkema has been found guilty of orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot that led to his estranged husband Brent Sikkema's killing in Rio de Janeiro. Federal prosecutors accused Daniel of hiring a Cuban security officer, Alejandro Triana Prevez, and transferring nearly $9,000 before and after the 18-stabbing incident.

The case has sent shockwaves through the contemporary art world. Brent Sikkema was a respected gallery owner who played a crucial role in launching numerous artists' careers, including Kara Walker's and Vik Muniz’s. His death at age 75 was a significant loss to the art community.

Prior to the trial, Brazilian authorities had arrested Prevez, after which he claimed that Daniel Sikkema had offered him the money for the murder. The investigation spanned both Brazil and the US and led to formal charges in New York last year against Daniel Sikkema on multiple counts of murder-for-hire and conspiracy.

Despite his lawyers’ arguments that the payments were unrelated, jurors convicted Daniel on three counts. With a mandatory life sentence now awaiting him, this case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some will go to silence their enemies in the cut-throat world of art.