Former Reform UK Wales Leader Nathan Gill Sentenced to Ten and a Half Years in Russian-Linked Bribery Case
Summary
Nathan Gill, a former senior figure in Nigel Farage’s political movement, has been sentenced to ten and a half years in prison for taking part in a Russian-linked influence operation while serving as a Member of the European Parliament. Gill pleaded guilty in September 2025 to eight counts of bribery and was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 21 November. The Metropolitan Police said the conduct struck at the heart of democratic integrity and demonstrated the way hostile states seek to manipulate public debate inside Western democracies.
Gill’s guilty plea and sentencing do not implicate Nigel Farage personally. However, Gill held multiple leadership positions inside Farage’s political organisations for nearly a decade. His conviction therefore raises important questions about the vulnerability of political networks associated with Farage to foreign influence efforts.
Last updated: 22 November 2025
Gill’s Place Within the Farage Political World
Nathan Gill was not a peripheral figure. His political rise was directly tied to Farage-led parties and campaigns:
- Gill was elected as a UKIP MEP for Wales in 2014 alongside Farage. They sat in the same parliamentary group and routinely appeared together in press briefings and campaign events.
- When Farage launched the Brexit Party in 2019, Gill joined immediately and became one of the party’s most visible Welsh representatives during the European election campaign.
- After the party rebranded as Reform UK, Gill was appointed leader of Reform UK Wales. He became one of the few regional voices cleared to speak publicly on behalf of the party.
- For years, Gill was treated as a trusted and authoritative figure within Farage’s political project. He remained publicly aligned with Farage until after the Brexit Party’s reorganisation in the early 2020s.
There is no allegation that Farage knew about or approved Gill’s behaviour. The significance of the case lies in the fact that a senior figure in the Farage movement was targeted, cultivated and successfully influenced by individuals linked to the Kremlin.
Details of the Bribery Scheme
Court documents and police statements outline a methodical and covert influence operation:
- Gill accepted a series of payments routed through Oleg Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian MP with a well documented history of pro-Kremlin positions.
- In exchange, Gill agreed to promote messages that aligned with Russian foreign policy objectives, particularly concerning Ukraine and European sanctions.
- Gill used his position as an MEP to insert these narratives into parliamentary questions, speeches and European Parliament committee interventions.
- Police recovered WhatsApp messages in which Gill and his intermediary used coded language for payments, including references to Christmas gifts and small-labelled cash transfers.
- Investigators concluded that Gill’s conduct represented improper performance of his public duties and undermined the integrity of the elected office he held.
The sentencing judge described the operation as sophisticated and deliberate, noting that the damage to public confidence in political institutions was substantial.
Why This Matters for Assessing Farage’s Political Environment
There is no evidence that Nigel Farage was aware of Gill’s actions. However, the case is relevant for understanding the environment around Farage’s political projects for several reasons.
Foreign influence efforts reached senior figures within the movement
Gill was not a backbencher or an obscure activist. He was a former UKIP MEP, a prominent Brexit Party campaigner and leader of Reform UK in Wales. His recruitment by Kremlin-linked intermediaries shows that foreign actors were deliberately targeting individuals in Farage-associated spaces who held influence and public visibility.
The case demonstrates weaknesses in oversight and internal accountability
Gill’s activities occurred while he was an elected representative within a Farage-led political culture that frequently criticised what it called excessive regulation and bureaucracy. The absence of robust internal governance structures may have made it easier for outside influences to operate without detection.
The episode contributes to broader scrutiny of Russian outreach to Eurosceptic movements
Across Europe, Moscow has been accused of attempting to cultivate sympathetic voices in Eurosceptic parties. Gill’s conviction provides a clear example of how those efforts succeeded in the United Kingdom at a time when Farage and his allies were shaping significant public debate.
Farage’s own positioning makes the case politically relevant
Farage has long been a high-profile critic of Western policy toward Russia and has repeatedly made statements that attracted attention from Kremlin-aligned media. While Gill’s actions were his own, his prominence within Farage’s circle means the case naturally fits into ongoing analysis of the movement’s relationship with Russian political narratives.
Verdict
Nathan Gill’s conviction is a confirmed and serious case of foreign-linked bribery involving a former senior figure in Nigel Farage’s political movement. Farage was not implicated, but Gill’s long-standing prominence across UKIP, the Brexit Party and Reform UK means the episode forms an important part of the wider picture regarding the movement’s exposure to foreign influence efforts.
Sources
The Guardian – “Former Reform UK leader in Wales pleads guilty to Russian-linked bribery charges”
ITV News – “Former Reform UK Wales leader Nathan Gill jailed for accepting Russian-linked bribes”
Euronews – “Nathan Gill’s sentencing raises fresh questions over European lawmakers’ Kremlin ties”
Metropolitan Police – Counter Terrorism Command statement on Nathan Gill’s conviction
Judiciary of England and Wales – Sentencing remarks in R v Nathan Gill