Gill, 52, was paid thousands of pounds to give TV interviews supporting allies of Vladimir Putin.
Nathan Gill (Image: Getty)
Reform UK’s former leader in Wales has been jailed for 10 and a half years for making pro-Russia remarks in exchange for cash. Nathan Gill led Reform UK and UKIP in Wales and was a Member of the European Parliament, but will now spend the next decade behind bars after taking bribes to support Russia on Ukrainian TV.
The 52-year-old was also found to have taken cash to give pro-Russian statements in Brussels during his time as an MEP. Appearing at The Old Bailey, Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery with Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb concluding that the former politician had “exchanged for the improper execution of your public duties”. Gill was a big figure in UKIP and Reform politics, serving as leader of UKIP Wales between 2014 and 2016. He had a stint in the Brexit Party, before becoming the leader of Reform UK Wales for two months in 2021.
The judge sentenced Gill to 10 years and six months in prison (Image: PA)
On top of his time in Europe, he had also served a year as a Member of the Senedd in 2016. Counter-terrorism officers believe that Gill amassed at least £40,000 in bribes to vocally support Russia during his time in politics.
When officers searched his home in Wales, they found thousands worth in cash of Euros and Dollars.
They also believed that Gill played a part in trying to introduce other MEPs to the bribery scheme, with some of the individuals involved on the Russian side having direct links to Putin himself.
Mark Heywood KC, prosecuting Gill, named his associate as Oleg Voloshyn, a pro-Russian Ukrainian official who is now sanctioned by the UK.
Pro-Ukraine protesters, including Mick Antoniw of Welsh Labour, gather outside the Old Bailey (Image: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press/Cover Images)
The scandal was first uncovered in 2021 when his WhatsApp messages were found after he was stopped trying to board a flight to Russia from Manchester Airport.
Gill was said to have recited certain lines word for word after being fed through Voloshyn on a reward basis.
The Old Bailey also heard how Gill was paid to appear on 112 Ukraine, a pro-Russian media channel.
While serving as an MEP, the court heard how he was bribed to pose questions to the European parliament, make contact with senior officials at the European Commission as well as putting on events and making certain arrangements.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, said: “It appears… greed was his primary motivation. But I think there’s an element of him that had a pro-Russian stance as well, but only he can answer that question, to be honest with you, he never told us that.”
Nathan Gill, MEP for Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, arrived at court on Friday morning (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
However, Commander Murphy warned that Voloshyn’s influence may have spread beyond Gill, revealing that they are continuing to investigate a list of MEPs – some from the UK.
He added: “What we do know from the conversations with [Oleg] Voloshyn is that Nathan Gill actually offered his services to contact other MEPs, mostly UK MEPs, to also make statements that might be supportive of a Russian position in Ukraine,” he said.
“I do believe that some of the individuals in this case do have direct connections to Vladimir Putin. And I have no doubt that if we were able to, we could follow this trail and it would lead straight to Moscow.”
Reform UK Wales previously said Gill was no longer a member and police confirmed to Sky News that Nigel Farage has not been part of this investigation.
