Fraudster Nabila Habiby misses sentencing for pawning Edgar Davids' art

Nabila Habiby, a wealth manager, has failed to appear for her sentencing hearing after pawning 37 works of art belonging to former Premier League star Edgar Davids. Habiby obtained £31,500 in loans by pledging the artworks, which Davids had entrusted to her for storage during a house move.

Habiby pleaded guilty in September 2025 to two counts of fraud. She was granted bail with a warning that she could face up to 34 months in prison. The court had ordered her to attend Wood Green Crown Court on 23 September for sentencing and to submit a full medical report explaining any absence.

Absence and Medical Claims

On Friday, Habiby was absent from the dock. Her defence barrister, Hannah Thomas, informed the court that Habiby had been struck on the head by a piece of luggage while on her way to the airport. She claimed Habiby suffered a concussion, lost consciousness, and was taken to a hospital in Belgium, where she now resides.

Judge Emma Deacon KC stated that the medical evidence provided from Belgium was 'inadequate' to support Habiby's claim. The judge agreed to adjourn the sentencing hearing. The case is to be rescheduled to allow the original judge, who oversaw the proceedings when the guilty pleas were entered, to pass sentence.

Edgar Davids discovered his art collection, valued at £188,000, was missing when Habiby defaulted on the loans. The pawn shops had sold the artworks to collectors globally. One collector contacted Davids to inquire about the history of a painting, leading to the discovery of the fraud.

This is not the first delay in sentencing. An earlier attempt in March was postponed when Habiby made an unsuccessful bid to withdraw her guilty pleas.