Nathan Gill Fined £22,500 Over Pro-Russian Bribe Demand

Key Points

• Former Reform UK leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, 53, is ordered to pay £22,592.41 within six months or he will face a further nine months’ imprisonment.
• Gill already has a 10½-year sentence for eight counts of bribery under the Bribery Act 2010.
• From December 2018 to July 2019, the European Parliament and the Ukrainian outlet 112 Ukraine were bribed to issue pro-Russian statements and articles, respectively.
• The scheme was masterminded by former Ukrainian MP Oleg Voloshyn, 44, who works for pro-Russian oligarch and close ally of Vladimir Putin, Viktor Medvedchuk, 71.
• Gill’s offences were discovered when he was detained at Manchester Airport in September 2021, with WhatsApp messages referring to “promised x-mas gifts”, “postcards” and “5K” to indicate the amount of money.
• Judge Richard Marks KC ordered Gill to sell a rental property in Anglesey to pay the money back at Thursday’s court hearing at the Old Bailey.
• Clare Ashcroft, Gill’s defence lawyer, told the court that tenants should “move out” to enable it to be marketed.
• In a November 2025 ruling, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said that Gill had made “an awful mistake” in allowing money to taint his “moral compass” and stated that his behaviour was “a grave betrayal of the trust vested in you by the electorate”.
• Gill, who was initially elected as a UKIP MEP, is the first British politician to be sentenced under the Bribery Act 2010.
• He has been ordered to pay back £22,592.41, while prosecutors claim that he received as much as £40,000 in total.

Anglesey (Britain Today News) September 03, 2026 – The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has been ordered to pay more than £22,500 after accepting bribes to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament. Nathan Gill, 53, of Anglesey, was given six months to sell his rental property to pay the money into Government coffers or face a further nine months in prison. He is already serving 10 and a half years in jail after he pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery on dates between December 6, 2018 and July 18, 2019. Gill was not required to be present at the Old Bailey on Thursday for a confiscation hearing before Judge Richard Marks KC. The judge identified the amount of ill-gotten gains as £22,592.41 and ordered him to pay the same amount over six months or face a custodial penalty of nine months.

Clare Ashcroft, representing Gill, told the court that Gill would need time to sell his rental property to make the payment. She said:

“The property needs to be sold. Notice has been given to the tenants. Until these tenants vacate, that property cannot be put on the market.”

It is understood the rental property and Gill’s family home are both in Anglesey, Wales.

Who is Nathan Gill and what was his political role?

Nathan Gill is a 53-year-old politician from Llangefni, Anglesey, who originally entered the European Parliament as a member of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) before later becoming associated with the Brexit Party and Reform UK. He led Reform UK’s 2021 Welsh Parliament election campaign but is no longer a member of the party. During his time as an MEP, Gill took part in parliamentary proceedings and media engagements that later formed the basis of the bribery case against him.

What bribes did Gill accept and why were they paid?

As reported by Neil Henderson and David Deans of the BBC, Gill is believed to have accepted as much as £40,000 to support pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine during his tenure as an MEP. In exchange for compensation, he participated in two interviews with 112 Ukraine in support of Medvedchuk, who was under investigation for treason at that time. Gill delivered two speeches in the European Parliament defending these channels, both at Voloshyn’s request, whose wife was a presenter at 112 Ukraine. Voloshyn also tasked Gill with recruiting other MEPs to communicate with 112 Ukraine and provided him with talking points to share.

Who orchestrated the bribery scheme and how was it linked to Russia?

The architect of the bribes was Oleg Voloshyn, 44, a former pro-Russian Ukrainian MP, who, with his wife, was connected to 112 Ukraine. The television channel was owned by wealthy pro-Russian Ukrainian Viktor Medvedchuk, 71, who was a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the ultimate source of requests and money that Gill received. Medvedchuk was apprehended by Ukrainian forces at the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 but was later exchanged for prisoners with Moscow. Both channels—112 Ukraine and NewsOne—faced potential closure by Ukrainian authorities in 2018 and 2019 and were ultimately shut down in 2021.

How were Gill’s crimes uncovered at Manchester Airport?

Gill’s crimes were exposed after he was stopped at Manchester Airport on September 13, 2021, as he attempted to travel to Russia. His mobile phone was examined, and messages were found between him and Voloshyn. WhatsApp messages between them included references to “promised x-mas gifts”, “postcards” and “5K”, which was a reference to payments, he said. These communications formed a crucial part of the evidence that led to his eventual charging and conviction.

What did the court say when Gill was sentenced in November 2025?

In November last year, Gill became the first British politician to be sentenced under the Bribery Act of 2010. Sentencing last November, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told Gill that he had allowed money to corrupt his “moral compass” and that amounted to

“a grave betrayal of the trust vested in you by the electorate”.

She told him:

“Your misconduct has ramifications far beyond personal honour, which is now irretrievably damaged. It erodes public confidence in democracy itself.”

The 10½-year term reflected the seriousness with which the court viewed the corruption of a sitting MEP for foreign influence.

What property must Gill sell to meet the confiscation order?

At the Old Bailey hearing, the court heard that Gill is expected to sell a rental property to raise the money. Clare Ashcroft, representing Gill, told the court:

“The property needs to be sold. Notice has been given to the tenants. Until these tenants vacate, that property cannot be put on the market.”

It is understood the rental property and Gill’s family home are both on Anglesey. Judge Richard Marks granted Gill six months to make the payment or face an additional nine months behind bars.

What activities did Gill carry out in the European Parliament and media?

His activities included making pro-Russian statements about events in Ukraine in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets, such as 112 Ukraine. As reported by Luke Harding in The Nerve, Gill’s interventions typically followed a pattern: first declaring support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, then advancing themes suggesting press freedom in Ukraine was under threat—narratives aligned with Medvedchuk’s interests. Voloshyn typically handed over €5,000 per engagement, and in total Gill appears to have received £40,000.

What is the wider context of pro-Russian influence in UK politics?

Martin Shipton of Nation. Cymru has written that Gill was part of a bigger pro-Russian network than has previously been reported, citing research suggesting coordinated efforts to promote Kremlin-friendly narratives via European politicians. In August 2026, a local Facebook page named Reform UK Alyn and Deeside and Wrexham carried a post calling for an end to UK support for Ukraine, prompting accusations of “spouting pure Putin propaganda”. Both Mr Rowlands and Ms Saville Roberts referred in their criticism to Nathan Gill, Reform UK’s former leader in Wales, who was jailed late last year over bribes to make pro-Russian statements while he was a member of the European Parliament. Reform UK has since distanced itself from the post, describing Gill’s actions as “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable”.
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What are the legal implications under the Bribery Act 2010?

The UK Bribery Act 2010, which took effect on July 1, 2011, is widely regarded as one of the strictest anti-bribery laws in force anywhere. Gill’s conviction marked the first time a British politician was sentenced under the Act, setting a significant precedent for the prosecution of elected officials who accept foreign payments to influence parliamentary conduct. The confiscation hearing underlines the Act’s provision for recovering ill-gotten gains, with courts empowered to impose additional custodial terms if ordered sums are not paid.

What happens next if Gill fails to pay within six months?

Prosecutor Ben Holt informed Judge Richard Marks that both parties had reached an agreement on the amount owed. Following testimony from the defence, Judge Richard Marks granted Gill six months to make the payment or face an additional nine months behind bars. Should the rental property not be sold in time or the funds not transferred to Government coffers, Gill risks returning to court for enforcement of the custodial penalty.