New York man maintains innocence in alleged murder-for-hire plot. A New York man has been hit with federal charges for allegedly hiring an assassin who killed his estranged husband, a prominent American art dealer, inside his apartment in Brazil last year. The killing took place in the midst of “contentious divorce proceedings” between Daniel and Brent Sikkema, according to the Justice Department.
The art dealer, the co-owner of the Sikkema Jenkins & Co. gallery in Manhattan, had amassed a multi-million dollar estate, and the pair were also reportedly locked in a custody battle over their son. Prosecutors say Daniel Sikkema hatched his plan in 2023, using a stolen identity and intermediaries to send money to the alleged killer and his romantic partner in Cuba. After the January 2024 stabbing, Sikkema arranged for a $5,000 payment to the assassin, with promises of further payment, according to officials.
Rio state police later arrested the alleged killer, named in Brazilian media as Alejandro Triana Trevez, in the neighboring city of Minas Gerais while he was on the run. If convicted, Sikkema could face life in prison or death. The 54-year-old has maintained his innocence. Brent Sikkema was a figure in the New York art world for decades, opening his first gallery in 1991. Colleagues remembered him for being bold and creative, and for providing a platform to artists responding to the AIDS crisis and other social issues.
