Former Reform UK Wales leader and ex-MEP Nathan Gill has been sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison after admitting to taking thousands of pounds in bribes to advance pro-Russia messaging within the European Parliament. The 52-year-old politician from Anglesey received up to £40,000 for interviews, speeches, and efforts to recruit other MEPs to support narratives linked to Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk.
Gill’s crimes, which took place between late 2018 and early 2019, involved coordinated messaging on Ukrainian TV channels 112 Ukraine and NewsOne—both aligned to Medvedchuk and later taken off air. At the Old Bailey, Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb condemned Gill’s conduct, saying he had “eroded public confidence in democracy” and caused “enduring corrosive damage” to political institutions.
The bribery was orchestrated by Oleg Voloshyn, a Ukrainian national once described by the US government as a “pawn” of Russian intelligence services. Messages uncovered by police revealed Voloshyn provided talking points, scripts and financial incentives, while Gill promised to enlist “three or four” fellow MEPs—though there is no evidence they knew he was being paid.
Gill hosted Medvedchuk in Strasbourg to promote a “peace plan” for the Donbas region, an event later praised by Putin on Russian television. Police later discovered €5,000 and $5,000 in cash at Gill’s home.
Counter-terrorism chief Cdr Dominic Murphy described Gill as an “extraordinarily willing participant”, warning that his actions formed part of a broader pattern of Russian attempts to influence European politics.
Reform UK, previously led by Nigel Farage, distanced itself from Gill, calling his actions “treasonous and unforgivable”. While police found no link to Farage, several UK political leaders have called for a deeper investigation into potential foreign interference.
The case serves as one of the UK’s clearest examples yet of covert Russian influence operations reaching into democratic systems—and the heavy consequences for those who participate in them.
