Former Reform UK Leader in Wales Jailed for Taking Pro-Russia Bribes

A former senior figure in Reform UK has been sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison after admitting to accepting bribes in exchange for promoting pro-Russian narratives through interviews and speeches, in a landmark case described by prosecutors as a threat to national security and democratic integrity.

Nathan Gill, 52, from Llangefni on the Isle of Anglesey, was sentenced at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to eight counts of bribery. Gill, a former leader of Reform UK in Wales and a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) between 2014 and 2020, accepted payments of up to £40,000 to support the interests of pro-Russian figures linked to the Kremlin, the court heard.

Gill becomes the first politician to be jailed under the UK Bribery Act, a precedent-setting conviction that senior counter-terrorism officers said exposed the vulnerability of democratic institutions to foreign influence.

Links to Kremlin-Connected Figures

The court was told that Gill received money from Oleg Voloshyn, 44, a Ukrainian politician once described by the United States government as a “pawn” of Russian intelligence services. Voloshyn acted on behalf of Viktor Medvedchuk, a powerful pro-Russian oligarch and close associate of President Vladimir Putin, who prosecutors said was the ultimate source of both the requests and the cash.

While serving as an MEP, Gill gave two television interviews to the Ukrainian broadcaster 112 Ukraine, publicly supporting Medvedchuk at a time when the politician was facing treason proceedings in Ukraine. In addition, Gill delivered two speeches in the European Parliament defending 112 Ukraine and another pro-Russian channel, NewsOne, both of which were later taken off air by Ukrainian authorities in 2021.

Medvedchuk, who was arrested by Ukrainian authorities at the outset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, was later released to Moscow as part of a prisoner exchange.

“Extraordinarily Willing Participant”

Passing sentence, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Gill had abused his elected position and seriously damaged public trust.

“The enlisting of fellow representatives into this activity compounds the wrongdoing,” she said. “It undermines the mutual trust essential to the proper functioning of democratic institutions and erodes public confidence in democracy.”

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command, described Gill as an “extraordinarily willing participant” in the bribery scheme. He said the case formed part of a broader pattern of Russian activity aimed at destabilising Western democracies, citing incidents including the Salisbury poisonings in 2018 and a London arson attack in 2024.

Police confirmed that investigations are ongoing into whether other individuals may have committed criminal offences, though the court was told there was no evidence that other MEPs enlisted by Gill were aware of his financial motivations.

Cash, WhatsApp Messages and Parliamentary Access

The prosecution presented WhatsApp messages that detailed negotiations over payments and efforts to recruit other politicians. In one exchange, Voloshyn promised to “request and secure at least 5K” if Gill persuaded “three or four” additional MEPs to participate. Gill replied: “I shall do my best.”

Gill approached mainly British MEPs, as well as some from Germany and France, though the judge accepted there was no evidence they were aware of the bribery.

In another episode, Gill hosted Medvedchuk at the European Parliament’s base in Strasbourg to promote a so-called “peace plan” for eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region—an event that was praised by Vladimir Putin on Russian television the following day. Messages showed Gill promising to “drag a few in” from the Brexit Party, referring to incentives as a “small sack of paper gifts.”

Police later discovered cash at an address used by Gill, including euros and US dollars allegedly linked to the bribery arrangements.

Political Fallout

Reform UK said it welcomed the verdict, describing Gill’s actions as “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused Gill of “undermining our interests as a country” and urged Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to examine whether the party had any further links to Russia.

Gill, who was initially elected to the European Parliament as a UKIP MEP before later joining the Brexit Party, was said by the judge to have shown “scant personal mitigation” in the case.

As he was led from court, the sentencing marked one of the most severe punishments yet imposed in the UK for foreign political interference, underscoring growing concerns among security services about covert influence campaigns and the safeguarding of democratic institutions.