Guardian reports Reform UK finances scrutinized over crypto donation
8 reported
The Guardian reports that its questions about Reform UK’s finances have twice been pre-empted by stories in the Telegraph that it describes as friendly to the party. In April, the Guardian revealed that Nigel Farage received £5 million from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, but an interview with Farage claiming he needed the cash “for security” was published hours earlier in the Telegraph. The Guardian also states that Richard Tice suggested the National Crime Agency (NCA) had leaked Farage’s bank statements, a claim that appeared on the Telegraph site just before the Guardian reported that bankers had flagged the £5 million donation to law enforcement over money-laundering concerns. The Guardian notes that MPs must declare relevant gifts from the year before entering parliament, and Farage says the £5 million did not need to be registered because it was a personal gift. The issue is before the parliamentary commissioner for standards. The Guardian reports that bankers have filed suspicious activity reports involving senior Reform figures, but states these are not evidence of wrongdoing.
What’s reported
The Guardian revealed in April that Nigel Farage received £5 million from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
An interview with Farage claiming he needed the cash “for security” was published hours earlier in the Telegraph.
Richard Tice suggested the NCA had leaked Farage’s bank statements, which appeared on the Telegraph site before the Guardian reported bankers had flagged the £5 million donation to law enforcement over money-laundering concerns.
MPs must declare relevant gifts from the year before entering parliament; Farage says the £5 million did not need to be registered because it was a personal gift.
The issue is before the parliamentary commissioner for standards.
Harborne has a significant stake in Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, which made profits of $13 billion in 2024.
NCA officials said Tether had become the “cryptocurrency du jour” for criminals; Tether has frozen $4.2 billion of its tokens because of crime links.
Bankers have filed suspicious activity reports involving senior Reform figures, but the Guardian states these are not evidence of wrongdoing.
Key figures
Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader
Christopher Harborne, crypto billionaire
Richard Tice, Reform UK figure (role not specified in article)
Donald Trump, former US president (mentioned in comparison)
Sources: The Guardian
