Reform UK’s former leader in Wales has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to eight bribery charges while an elected member of the European Parliament.
The charges stated that Nathan Gill, as an elected member of the European Parliament for the constituency of Wales in the UK, “agreed to receive financial advantage, namely money”, which constituted “the improper performance” as the holder of an elected office.
At his last court appearance, it was alleged that the 52-year-old made statements in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets, such as 112 Ukraine, which were “supportive of a particular narrative” which would “benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine”.
The Anglesey man was said to have been tasked by Oleg Voloshyn on at least eight occasions to make specific statements in return for money.
At the earlier hearing, the court heard the bribery offences took place between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019.
Gill denied one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery during the hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday.
That charge alleged that Gill conspired with Voloshyn and “others” between 1 January 2018 and 1 February 2020, and that he accepted “quantities of money in cash” which was “improper performance by him of his function or activity as the holder” of a position in the European Parliament.
Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC said the guilty pleas were “satisfactory” because the bribery charges reflected the criminal activities.
They came to light when Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021 under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019.
He was first elected as a Ukip member of the European Parliament in 2014.
His role ended when the UK left the European Union in 2020, at which point he was an MEP for the Brexit Party.
Gill led Reform UK’s 2021 Welsh Parliament election campaign, but is no longer a member of the party.
