Former Reform UK Wales leader Nathan Gill has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for accepting bribes to deliver pro-Russia statements while serving as an MEP.
Gill, who was aligned with Ukip and the Brexit Party under Nigel Farage, pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery between December 2018 and July 2019.
Police say Gill received at least £30,000 from Oleg Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian MP and alleged Russian agent now believed to be in Moscow.
Investigators were surprised by Gill’s guilty plea and believe he was driven largely by financial pressure.
The bribed statements promoted Kremlin narratives on Ukraine in the years leading up to Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Gill made remarks in the European parliament and appeared on 112 Ukraine, a pro-Russian TV channel linked to Putin ally Viktor Medvedchuk.
He also arranged for other MEPs to participate, though a judge stressed there is no evidence they knew he was being paid.
Sentencing him at the Old Bailey, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Gill had betrayed the trust of voters by allowing money to influence his work.
Investigators uncovered WhatsApp messages showing the bribery arrangement becoming routine, with references to gifts and payments such as “I’ll get you 5k”.
Reform UK condemned Gill’s actions as reprehensible and treasonous, though the case has raised political pressure on the party. Protesters greeted Gill at court chanting: “What about Farage?” Police say they found no evidence Gill influenced Farage, who has called him a “bad apple”.
The Met is continuing to investigate Voloshyn, wanted in Ukraine for high treason. Officials say Gill has offered no explanation for his actions and repeatedly answered no comment in interviews.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the case showed Reform UK posed a danger to national security.
