NEW YORK — Federal prosecutors have charged the estranged spouse of a murdered New York City art dealer in connection with a conspiracy to commit murder for hire. The indictment accuses him of making several payments to the individual apprehended for the murder, which took place in Brazil, amid an acrimonious divorce.
Daniel Sikkema, 54, who resides in New York, was indicted on Tuesday with charges of conspiracy to commit murder as well as passport fraud.
“The defendant is alleged to have engaged a hitman to carry out the international murder of his spouse while trying to hide his participation in this heinous scheme,” stated James E. Dennehy, the FBI Assistant Director in Charge, in an official announcement.
Sikkema’s legal counsel expressed that his client remains assured that he will be exonerated.
“Mr. Sikkema has consistently affirmed his innocence and is wholly confident that he will be vindicated during the trial,” said his attorney, Richard Levitt, in a phone interview.
The victim, Brent Sikkema, aged 75, was discovered stabbed to death in January 2024 within his townhouse located in Rio de Janeiro, a place he frequently visited. Brent, whose estate was valued in the multimillion-dollar range, co-owned a contemporary art gallery named Sikkema Jenkins & Co. in Manhattan.
This gallery has represented several renowned international artists, including Jeffrey Gibson, Kara Walker, and Vik Muniz.
Shortly following the murder, Brazilian authorities detained a suspect identified as Alejandro Triana Trevez near Uberaba, in the neighboring state of Minas Gerais. Reports indicated that this individual was evading capture and was found resting at a gas station.
Although Trevez was not explicitly named in the indictment disclosed on Wednesday, Brazilian media suggested he had previously served as the victim’s bodyguard.
As per the indictment, Daniel Sikkema, who holds citizenship in both the United States and Cuba, transferred multiple sums of money to Trevez and his partner in Cuba between mid-2023 and January 2024. Prosecutors allege that he utilized a stolen identity or acted through an intermediary to conduct these transactions while trying to obscure his identity.
Should he be found guilty, Sikkema potentially faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
