Michelle Obama-Linked Art Dealer Killed In Murder-For-Hire Scheme

An alleged murder-for-hire scheme has led to the death of a high-profile art dealer who traveled in the same circles as former First Lady Michelle Obama.

According to the Western Journal, Brent Sikkema, 75, was found stabbed to death in his Rio de Janeiro home about three months ago. The art dealer died from 18 stab wounds to the head, neck, and chest areas.

Adding to the intrigue is a new admission by the murder suspect that he was offered $200,000 by Sikkema’s estranged husband, Daniel Carrera, 53, to complete the killing. The couple was in the throes of a messy divorce over who would obtain custody of Sikkema’s teenage son. Alejandro Triana Prevez, 30, has been arrested and charged with the crime while Brazil’s Public Ministry has requested the U.S. extradite Carrera from his home in Manhattan.

About 15 years ago, Carrera married Sikkema after working as a male prostitute in Havana, Cuba and Madrid, Spain, according to a personal diary reviewed by the New York Post.

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Sikkema, a gallerist whose Chelsea firm represents major artists such as Vik Muniz and Kara Walker, was pressed to pay Carrera $6 million in order to see him drop his demands to maintain custody of their son, who is 15. Their divorce battle first began in March of 2022 and was in the midst of negotiations when Sikkema died sometime between January 15th and the 18th. Shortly before divorce proceedings kicked off, Sikkema allegedly changed the locks for their Chelsea apartment. “When the victim questioned the building management, they told him they had orders not to let the victim back into the apartment,” according to a report.

Sikkema surrendered to police the following month and spent a night in jail, according to a source who spoke with the Post.

“Danny just hounded the police officer, worked on him emotionally to have him arrest Brent,” said the source, who knew the couple. “The whole thing was ridiculous and the district attorney ended up apologizing to Brent.”

Triana Prevez is a Cuban national who claims Carrera ordered the murder and had previously worked for him and Sikkema in various capacities. Brazilian press reported that Carrera provided Triana Prevez with a key to Sikkema’s property in Rio, and local police released video footage that purports to show Triana Prevez casing the house for 14 hours before Sikkema was killed. The city’s Homicide Bureau told the local news outlet investigators have “no doubt” that the crime was premeditated.

Police also told the outlet that Sikkema admitted his affection for a new boyfriend while in the company of his driver, which may have fueled anger by Carrera to pursue his killing.

“In the passenger seat of the car, Brent spoke on a video chat with a man who spoke halting English,” reads the report, which summarizes the witness statement of Luiz Otavio Martins, Sikkema’s longtime driver in Rio. “The driver could see the young man on the video call. He was dark skinned and very handsome, and Brent told him ‘I love you’ in English.”

Sikkema, who partied with Michelle Obama according to the Daily Mail, had just cut Carrera out of his will before his death.