Former Welsh Reform UK Leader Admits to Russian-Linked Bribery in European Parliament
LONDON – Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery for accepting payments to promote pro-Russian narratives during his time as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
The 52-year-old from Anglesey, North Wales, admitted at London’s Old Bailey on Friday to receiving financial advantages in exchange for making statements and submitting content that benefited Russia’s interests regarding Ukraine. The offences took place between December 6, 2018, and July 18, 2019.
According to the charges, Gill, as an elected MEP for Wales, “agreed to receive financial advantage, namely money,” which constituted an “improper performance” of his public duties. The court heard that he was tasked by Ukrainian national Oleg Voloshyn on at least eight occasions to make specific pro-Russian statements in return for cash.
These activities included delivering speeches in the European Parliament, tabling questions, and writing opinion pieces for outlets such as 112 Ukraine. The content was described as supporting a narrative that downplayed Russia’s role in the conflict in Ukraine and opposed European Union sanctions.
The prosecution alleged that the payments, totaling over €80,000, funded these efforts. While Gill pleaded guilty to eight substantive bribery counts, he denied one separate charge of conspiracy to commit bribery alongside Voloshyn and others between 2018 and 2020.
A senior judge at the Old Bailey emphasised the seriousness of the case, stating that Gill had “admitted having asked questions, made statements and carried out other activities… in support of pro-Russian parties in the Ukraine conflict.”
Gill was first elected as a UKIP MEP in 2014. His term ended when the UK left the EU in 2020, by which time he was representing the Brexit Party. He later led Reform UK’s campaign for the 2021 Welsh Parliament elections but is no longer a member of the party.
With each bribery offence carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years under the UK’s Bribery Act 2010, Gill’s barrister acknowledged that a prison term is inevitable. Sentencing is scheduled for November 21.
