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Ex-Reform politician admits Russia-linked bribery charges

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The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to making statements in favour of Russia while being an elected member of the European Parliament.

Nathan Gill, 52, from Llangefni on Anglesey, admitted eight counts of bribery between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019, but denied one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

It was alleged he made statements in the European Parliament which were “supportive of a particular narrative” which would “benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine”.

Gill will be sentenced in November and his defence barrister said he expected jail.

The charges stated that 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.

He also made these statements in opinion pieces to news outlets, such as 112 Ukraine.

The court was told he was tasked by Ukrainian Oleg Voloshyn on at least eight occasions to make specific statements in return for money and there was evidence of WhatsApp messages between the two men.

Mr Voloshyn is a former member of the Ukrainian parliament for the pro-Russian Opposition Platform for Life party.

The conspiracy to commit bribery alleged Gill conspired with Mr 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 said the guilty pleas were “satisfactory” because the bribery charges reflected the criminal activities, and agreed to lie the conspiracy charge on file.

They emerged after Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021 under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019.

Peter Wright, speaking for Gill, told, the court: “It is recognised that it is inevitable that the defendant will receive an immediate sentencing to prison.”

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told the court: “This is a serious matter.”

She said Nathan Gill had “admitted having ask questions, make statements and carried out other activity in support of pro-Russian parties in the European Parliament” where he was paid to do so.

Nathan Gill served as a UKIP and Brexit Party MEP between 2014 and 2020, and was leader of UKIP Wales between 2014 and 2016.

He then served leader of Reform UK Wales between March and May 2021, leading the party’s Senedd/Welsh Parliament election campaign.

However he is no longer a member of the party.

Breaking News

Ex-Reform politician admits Russia-linked bribery charges

Published

on

Read more on post.

The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to statements in favour of Russia while being an elected member of the European Parliament.

Gill, 52, from Llangefni on Anglesey, admitted eight counts of bribery between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019, but denied one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

He served as a UKIP and Brexit Party MEP between 2014 and 2020, and was leader of UKIP Wales between 2014 and 2016, and then leader of Reform UK Wales between March and May 2021.

The court was told the guilty pleas were “satisfactory” because the bribery charges reflected the criminal activities.

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CAB sells two homes linked to criminals for €250,000

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The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) has sold two properties linked to organised crime groups in Limerick and Longford for over €250,000.

A farmhouse, stables and 18.5 acres of land which includes a horse trotting track in Kealderra, Bodyke in Co Clare was sold this week for around the asking price of €175,000.

CAB seized the property from William McInerney, whom CAB says is a trusted member of the McCarthy Ryan organised crime group.

The gang has been involved in a murderous feud for over 20 years with the Dundon organised crime group which has cost 17 lives.

CAB says the property was bought to disguise the proceeds of drug dealing and other organised crime activity.

A track was built on the land for organised illegal sulky races, which CAB says were then used by criminals to launder money through gambling and horse sales.

McInerney, 52, was a jockey and horse trainer for other members of the gang who trained and stabled the horses at the property in Co Clare.

McInerney has convictions for drugs, theft, assault and passing counterfeit currency.

He bought the farmhouse and land at an auction for €233,000 in 2010 and paid a cash deposit of €23,300.

McInerney was on social welfare but claimed he got the money through the sale of another property, investments in Lanzarote, the sale of a Toyota Land Cruiser.

He also said that he had found “€5,000-€6,000” in another house he bought.

He said he got the cash deposit through a combination of “horse trading” money which was “under the counter” and two people, “Marie” and “Cha” he met for a loan of €156,000, but “didn’t sign any forms at that meeting”.

CAB says it identified and dismantled as part of its investigation a complex money laundering scheme using various bank accounts and mediums in Ireland and Spain.

The High Court ruled the property to be the proceeds of crime before CAB seized and sold it.

Large bathroom at the 'Blondie' house in Longford
A bathroom at a detached cottage in Co Longford that CAB sold this week

CAB also this week sold a three-bedroom detached cottage in Co Longford on just under a half hectare of land with an outhouse used as a bar and gym for €79,000.

CAB says the cottage, which was extensively renovated, was the home of the Longford criminal Edward “Blondie” Stokes, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for a violent assault on a man in a pub in Granard in 2018.

The house was bought in 2014 for €24,000 which Mr Stokes said came from an inheritance, family loans and wedding gifts.

An estimated €400,000 worth of renovations were carried out on the property including the installation of the bar known as “Blondie’s Boom Boom Bar”.

However, Stokes claimed his father-in-law built the bar for free.

Edward Blondie Stokes
Edward ‘Blondie’ Stokes

CAB says Edward “Blondie” Stokes is a member of the Stokes Organised Crime Gang, along with his uncle Edward “Sonny” Stokes.

It says the gang set up a sophisticated illegal ‘chop shop’ business to break down and resell vehicles and machinery stolen in the UK.

CAB has also received an offer for a nearby parcel of land and two outbuildings valued at €10,000 which CAB also seized from Stokes.

The head of the Criminal Assets Bureau, Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Gubbins, has said the seizures are part of CAB’s “deny and deprive” strategy whereby trophy homes, luxury goods, high powered cars and cash are declared the proceeds of crime and taken from criminals.

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Man charged over number of burglaries in Co Wicklow

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A man in his 30s has appeared at Bray District Court charged over a number of residential burglaries carried out in Co Wicklow over the past 12 years.

Jimmy Cash, 36, with an address at 7 Daletree Place, Ballycullen, Dublin, is charged in connection with four burglaries at houses on Wednesday 24 September 2025 and one historical burglary from March 2013.

Detective Garda Tadhgh O’Connor from Wicklow Garda Station gave evidence of his arrest to Judge David Kennedy.

He said Mr Cash was arrested yesterday in relation to four burglaries that were carried out on residential properties in Co Wicklow on Wednesday this week and one from 2013.

The first of those occurred in Clonpadden at around midday where a gun safe was stolen. Det O’Connor told the court a shotgun which was in the safe has yet to be recovered.

Three further houses were burgled in the Annagowlan area where money and items were stolen.

Mr Cash was also charged in connection with a burglary carried out in March 2013 in Blainroe.

Barrister Sorcha Dianamh Ní Néill Fulham, representing Mr Cash, applied for bail.

Detective Garda O’Connor said he would object to bail due to what he said were the seriousness of the charges.

Judge David Kennedy refused bail and remanded Mr Cash in custody to appear again via video link on October 2nd.

A second person, a woman in her 20s, appeared before the courts yesterday charged in connection with the investigation.

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