Two donors to Farage-linked think tank convicted of fraud

Summary: A Brussels court has convicted two donors to the Institute for Direct Democracy in Europe (IDDE) a think tank formerly headed by Laure Ferrari, partner of Nigel Farage of fraud-related offences involving EU-linked funds. Ferrari was cleared at the procedural stage and is not being prosecuted. The ruling deepens long-running questions about transparency and governance in eurosceptic organisations connected to Farage’s network.

The Claim

Two donors to a think tank linked to Nigel Farage were convicted of fraud.

Verdict

✅ True – accurate and supported by strong evidence. Belgian judges convicted Daniel Pawłowiec and Marian Szolucha in relation to misuse of public funds tied to IDDE, with offences including document forgery and money laundering. They received suspended sentences and significant fines. Multiple news outlets confirm Laure Ferrari was examined in the case but cleared at the procedural stage and is not facing trial.

What we verified

  • The convictions: A Belgian court found two donors linked to IDDE guilty of financial misconduct and ordered them to repay more than €100,000.
  • Penalties: Pawłowiec and Szolucha received suspended prison terms of 18 and 15 months and fines of €90,000 and €72,000 respectively.
  • Status of Laure Ferrari: Former director of IDDE, Ferrari was cleared of wrongdoing early in the process and is not being prosecuted.
  • Organisational ties: IDDE was affiliated with the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), the eurosceptic political group led by UKIP under Farage’s presidency in the European Parliament.

Why it matters

The case illustrates the blurred lines between political activism and publicly funded European entities. Although Laure Ferrari is not charged, the outcome renews scrutiny of the cross-border networks and financial management practices surrounding Nigel Farage’s allies and former EU-funded operations.

Links between Farage and Ferrari

Laure Ferrari first entered Farage’s political circle in the mid-2000s, working as a parliamentary assistant for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) group in the European Parliament. After serving as communications director for the eurosceptic group Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD), she founded the Institute for Direct Democracy in Europe (IDDE) in Brussels in 2013. The think tank was funded largely through EU political grants channelled via the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), a party structure headed by Farage.

EU auditors later raised concerns over spending by both ADDE and IDDE, citing incomplete documentation and suspect contracts. IDDE was placed under investigation by Belgian authorities and subsequently liquidated. During this period, multiple reports described Ferrari as maintaining close professional and personal ties with Farage; the two have since confirmed they are in a relationship. In 2019, British media reported that Farage had benefited in 2016 from accommodation provided by Arron Banks (and in which Laure Ferrari was reported to be staying), though both denied any impropriety. This earlier report concerns the Chelsea property and should not be confused with Farage’s more recent residence in Clacton.

The recent convictions of two IDDE donors both Polish nationals with roles in related eurosceptic organisations underscore how intertwined the network of political parties, donors and EU-funded think tanks had become under Farage’s European operations. While Ferrari herself is legally cleared, the ruling revives questions about how oversight failed in entities directly connected to Farage’s former political structures.

Key context

  • IDDE was registered as a European-level think tank eligible for EU funding and received hundreds of thousands of euros before its dissolution.
  • ADDE, led by Farage’s UKIP, was formally reprimanded by the European Parliament in 2017 for misuse of public money and ordered to repay funds.
  • The Belgian investigation into IDDE ran for nearly a decade before culminating in the 2025 convictions.

Sources

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