Former Reform UK leader in Wales and ex-MEP Nathan Gill has been jailed for taking bribes to make pro-Russian statements, following an investigation led by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command.
Gill, 52, from Anglesey, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on 26 September to eight counts of bribery under the Bribery Act 2010. He was sentenced on Friday to ten years and six months in prison. Police described the case as a clear example of a foreign power seeking to covertly influence UK political discourse.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said the sentence “should send a clear message that any efforts by foreign powers to bribe people in the UK in elected and influential positions will not be tolerated.”
He added that Gill had “peddled views and opinions that were in support of the Russian state’s activities in Ukraine” and that the investigation had demonstrated “grave and severe consequences for anyone here who engages with that sort of activity.”
Counter Terror highlights rising state threats, disinfo push
The Met said Gill had accepted money from Ukrainian pro-Russian politician Oleg Voloshyn in return for making statements that mirrored Kremlin talking points, including pushing claims about media freedoms in Ukraine and criticising the investigation into Viktor Medvedchuk, then facing treason charges.
Gill was intercepted at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021 while preparing to fly to Moscow. Officers seized his phone and searched his Anglesey home, where they found electronic devices and cash in euros and US dollars. Messages recovered from his phone showed Gill and Voloshyn using coded references to “Xmas gifts” and “postcards” that detectives later linked to payments of “5k” for each requested statement.
The Met said detectives identified eight occasions between December 2018 and July 2019 where Gill delivered statements that were “almost verbatim copies” of scripts supplied by Voloshyn, either in the European Parliament or to media outlets. Investigators were assisted by the FBI, which provided evidence attributing Voloshyn’s communications.
Gill made no comment when interviewed in March 2022. He was charged in January 2025. Voloshyn has also been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery but has not been arrested and remains wanted.
Commander Murphy thanked European and US partners and said the case showed the UK would “work closely together with our partners to disrupt this kind of activity and protect our collective democratic values and our national security.”
Again why are counter terrorist police involved in state sponsored influace case… this is not counter terrorism.
“The Counter Terrorism Command was established as a result of the merging of the Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13) and Special Branch (SO12) in October 2006“
Traditionally Special Branch and MI5 share intelligence on investigations. Only the police have powers of arrest, not MI5.
Hi,
Thanks for the info, I recall that Special Branch in the past would have dealt with such cases with MI5. Now SB is now in with CT command. This all makes sense now.
Thanks,
Wait for the how about Farage barrage😉
Yes I agree that Nigel and others be thoroughly investigated, especially any Tax fraud and house purchase schemes. As reform leader he needs to be squeaky clean.
Became a Russian sock puppet to pay for his 7 kids, what a corrupt inept fake patriot he is.
At least he had the sense to get paid for it. Most of Reform do it for free!
All sounds very weird.
Firstly, he is a traitor – no question and deserves jail time.
Why 10 years – seems stiff given the sentences being handed out for things other than tweets? Maybe the tariff was on the hurty words and tweets sheet? Slightly joking.
I get that a message is being sent with the sentence that this sort of thing will not be tolerated – which it must not be – Russia likes its useful idiots and this is a very useful utter idiot.
It’s interesting that this guy got 10 years and I agree yes he’s a traitor however Barry gardiner took 50k from the Chinese communist party yet nothing happened to him
I think Gardiner took £500k.
The key difference is that Gardiner had an open channel to MI5 and was seemingly telling them what the play was.
The Judge brought it down from 16 years! A century ago he would have probably swung.
what would happen if Russia asked for his return in exchange for any British or Foreign nationals being held in Russian prisons, I know its not going to happen, but would be funny if it did
Brilliant.
Now do pro-Hamas offenders.
Ok, so he took money, but it doesn’t appear he gave away ant secrets, he just took money for promoting a “Russian” supporting Ukrainian.
Sentence seems harsh based on other recent sentences given out for sexual offences, or the collapse of the Chinese spying case.