David Greenhalgh British Businessman once in high-profile relationship with socialite Bad Black has been convicted in the United Kingdom for major international arms trafficking operation involving attempts to supply weapons to conflict zones, including neighbouring South Sudan.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on wednesday found 68-year-old guilty of 10 counts of illegally brokering military equipment to countries under international arms embargoes.
Greenhalgh was convicted alongside Greek national Christos Farmakis, 48, following a lengthy trial that began in April.
According to the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the two men attempted to broker the supply of a vast arsenal of military hardware between 2009 and 2016, including surface-to-air missile systems, Mi-24 combat helicopter gunships, battle tanks, anti-tank missile launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, fighter jets, and tens of thousands of AK-47 assault rifles
The intended destinations reportedly included Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Iraq and Iran, all of which were subject to UK arms restrictions or embargoes at the time.
Prosecutors said Greenhalgh operated the Airservices group of companies across several jurisdictions, including South Sudan, and used the firms to pursue what he referred to in correspondence as “sensitive projects.”
The court heard that Greenhalgh and Farmakis sought to circumvent UK export control laws by discussing forged end-user certificates, false shipping documentation and routing weapons through third countries to conceal their final destinations
Anja Hohmeyer, a specialist prosecutor with the CPS, said the pair viewed the international arms trade as a business opportunity and knowingly attempted to channel weapons into some of the world’s most volatile conflict zones.
“They knew exactly what they were doing,” she said. “Their own emails showed them discussing how to evade UK licensing controls, falsify end-user certificates and disguise the true nature of their deals.
The case was investigated by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which said the convictions send a strong message to anyone seeking to profit from illegal weapons trafficking.
UK authorities said no export licences were ever sought or obtained for any of the weapons transactions linked to the case.
Greenhalgh and Farmakis are due to be sentenced on July 22, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court. Prosecutors say the offences rank among the most significant arms-brokering cases brought under the UK’s Export Control Order 2008.
The case also highlights the continued scrutiny surrounding arms flows into South Sudan, a country that has struggled with recurring conflict and instability since gaining independence in 2011
