Former Reform in Wales leader Nathan Gill jailed for pro-Russian bribery

The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years after admitting accepting bribes for pro-Russian interviews and speeches.

Nathan Gill, 52, of Llangefni, Anglesey, is thought to have received up to £40,000 in total for helping pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine.

He was a Member of the European Parliament (EP) when he accepted money from Oleg Voloshyn, 44, who was once described by the US government as a “pawn” of Russian secret services.

At the Old Bailey, Lady Justice Cheema-Grubb said Gill had abused his position and had undermined “the public’s confidence in democracy”.

Voloshyn was acting on behalf of his “close friend” Vladimir Putin and 71-year-old Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, who were the source of both the demands and the money.

The Met Police said investigations were ongoing into “whether other individuals have committed offences”.

Reform said he was pleased justice had been served amid calls for further investigation.

Major Dominic Murphy, head of the Met Police’s counter-terrorism team, said Gill was an “extraordinarily willing participant” in bribery and described his actions as a “threat to national security”.

He said the case was part of Russia’s “broader activity”, including incidents such as the Salisbury poisonings in 2018. Arson attack in London in 2024.

“These are the kinds of things that Russia is carrying out across Europe, and so our international relations, particularly in the area of ​​counter-terrorism policing, are very important in terms of how we can confront Russia and make sure we disrupt their activities.”

Gill served as an MP for UKIP and then for the Brexit Party from 2014 to 2020. Pleaded guilty to eight bribery charges At an earlier hearing in March.

In late 2018 and early 2019, he gave TV interviews on 112 Ukraine, one of two TV channels affiliated with Medvedchuk that were at the time under threat of closure by the Ukrainian government.

Gill was bribed to defend two channels (112 Ukraine and NewsOne) in the European Parliament and speak in support of pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Medvedchuk, who was then facing a criminal trial for treason.

The court heard Voloshyn had connections to these channels; His wife Nadia Borodi was also a presenter on 112.

Both channels went off air in 2021.

Voloshyn also tasked Gill with finding other MPs to speak to 112 and gave him talking points to convey to them.

The court heard Gill recruited MPs mainly from the UK but also some from Germany and France. No case has been presented that these MPs knew that Gill had been bribed.

In texts obtained by police, Voloshyn said he would “demand and secure at least 5 thousand” for Gill if there were “three or four” more people on board.

Gill responded: “I’ll do my best.”

Major Murphy said there was no evidence that Gill had made payments to others.

He said the “tone of the conversation” was that Gill was trying to “find people who could speak openly in support of the Russian narrative in Ukraine.”

Gill also hosted Medvedchuk at the European Parliament’s base in Strasbourg to promote a so-called “peace plan” for the Donbas region. This incident was praised by Vladimir Putin on Russian television the next day.

The court heard Voloshyn asked Gill to arrange for Brexit Party colleagues to attend.

Prosecuting barrister Mark Heywood KC said Voloshyn asked Gill to book a room. Gill told them he could “draw a few in.”

Promising that he would be fairly rewarded, Voloshyn said: “I already have a small gift of a sack of paper for you.”

In a series of messages, Voloshyn offered to bring him 13,000 US dollars, as well as 4,000 euros for the peace plan.

By December 2018, Mr Heywood said the messages showed an “already close relationship between the two men”.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said in her sentencing address at the Old Bailey that “personal mitigation was inadequate”.

“Your misconduct has consequences far beyond your personal dignity,” he said.

“The involvement of fellow representatives in this activity furthers the wrong by undermining the mutual trust necessary for the proper functioning of democratic institutions.

“The devastating damage such actions inflict on public life continues.”

Police began investigating Gill following tips from intelligence sources, including the FBI, which found messages on Voloshyn’s phone when Gill traveled to the US in 2021.

When officers set out to search Gill’s home on Anglesey, north Wales, on September 13, 2021, they learned he had already left for Manchester Airport to attend a conference and fly to Russia to observe the elections.

When police learned Gill was about to leave the country, the Met stopped him at the border under counter-terrorism laws.

Gill was detained at the airport and his phone was searched and found to contain messages to Voloshyn.

Voloshyn had offered bribes to Gill on eight separate occasions to make statements to the European Parliament, to appear on pro-Russian Ukrainian television channels and to organize other MPs to make statements to these channels.

He once used innuendo to mention money by texting Gill: “I have received all the promised Christmas gifts and asked for five more postcards for your kind assistance during the discussion next week.”

Voloshyn provided scripts and instructions, prompting Gill to speak on behalf of 112 Ukraine and NewsOne.

“The budget and the project were approved by V,” he told Gill on December 4, 2018, referring to Viktor Medvedchuk, adding that “if V promises, he always fulfills.”

His message continued: “V was so excited when I told him about this option. And he’s really confident it will happen.”

Police searched Gill’s home and found €5,000 and $5,000 in cash. The court heard Gill’s claim for £30,000 compensation but police think he could have won up to £40,000.

The first offense to which Gill pleaded guilty dates back to the day he left UKIP in 2018.

He continued to take bribes after joining Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party.

He later led the party to the 2021 Senedd elections after the party was renamed Reform UK.

Defense lawyer Philip Wright told the court in mitigation that his actions might seem “incomprehensible” given the “laudable and noble” features of his political life.

“He acknowledged the enormity of what he had done and the betrayal of the trust placed in him and by others on his behalf to act with integrity and that he had let them down and himself, and he did so by pleading guilty,” Mr Wright said.

A Reform spokesman said Nigel Farage was “deeply shocked and outraged” by Gill’s actions, adding that the Reform leader had no knowledge of them at the time.

Police said the investigation found no connection to Nigel Farage.

Gill also represented North Wales in the Welsh Parliament, known as the National Assembly for Wales, from 2016 to 2017. Police found no evidence of criminal activity linked to this period.

In addition to the eight charges to which he pleaded guilty, he also pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

“Nathan Gill has certainly been held accountable for his actions,” Major Murphy said.

“This should send a strong message to any elected official or anyone in an official capacity who is asked and paid to act on behalf of another government.”

A Reform spokesman said: “Mr Gill’s actions were reprehensible, treacherous and inexcusable.

“We are pleased that justice has been served and fully welcome the sentence Nathan Gill has received.”

Labour’s Al Cairns called on Farage to investigate his own party, saying: “No patriotic British political party should allow pro-Russian elements to secretly gain influence over our political system.”

Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts said that if the former Reform UK leader in Wales was “part of a wider, coordinated effort to advance Moscow’s agenda within our democratic institutions, then the public deserves to know the full truth”.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said a wider investigation was needed: “Reform was aiding and abetting a traitor, a foreign enemy, at the very top of the UK. Nigel Farage and his party are a danger to national security.”

Farage has previously said he had no knowledge of Gill’s “disgraceful activities” and condemned them “in every way possible”.

Additional reporting by Daniel Davies.