A London court has sentenced Nathan Gill, a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for UKIP and The Brexit Party, to ten and a half years in prison for bribery. Gill, a former Mormon bishop and father of seven, pleaded guilty to accepting payments in exchange for promoting pro-Russian narratives and parliamentary interventions during his tenure from 2014 to 2020. This case highlights the pervasive issue of pro-Russian influence networks targeting European lawmakers.

UK counter-terrorism police confirmed that Gill took payments to "peddle narratives that would have had the effect of being beneficial towards Russian interests," utilizing various platforms such as events, speeches, media appearances, and direct contact with senior EU officials. The court proceedings revealed that the bribes were funneled by Oleg Voloshyn, a former pro-Russian Ukrainian MP, but the broader operation was orchestrated by Viktor Medvechuk, an oligarch and close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was the primary financial source for the scheme.

Gill's illicit activities occurred between the 2016 Brexit referendum and the UK's final withdrawal from the EU in January 2020. During this period, he delivered speeches scripted by Voloshyn in the European Parliament, defending two of Medvechuk’s media companies, Channel 112 Ukraine and NewsOne, which were later banned by the Ukrainian government for being "straightforwardly pro-Russian" propaganda outlets. Gill falsely described these channels as being under "undue pressure" and accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of "stripping TV stations of their licences." He also arranged an event in the European Parliament where Medvechuk presented his "peace plan for Donbas," the Ukrainian regions partly occupied by Russia following its 2014 invasion. Records from the European Parliament show Gill also sat on the "international editorial board" of Channel 112 Ukraine.

The sentencing of Gill comes amidst broader concerns about ongoing pro-Russian influence operations. Anton Shekhovtsov, an expert on European politicians' ties to Russia, suggests Gill's crimes might be just "the tip of the iceberg." He noted that Gill's carelessness in retaining communications on WhatsApp led to his capture. Medvechuk continued his media operations even after his Ukrainian channels were banned, operating through a Czech-registered company called Voice of Europe. This outlet, sanctioned by the Czech Republic and the EU, is currently under investigation in Belgium for allegedly paying MEPs to spread pro-Russian propaganda as recently as 2023.

Despite the EU's sweeping sanctions and the ongoing war in Ukraine, some MEPs and national parliamentarians continue to engage with Moscow. For instance, Voloshyn was present at the "BRICS-Europe" conference in Sochi in November, which was also attended by at least six MEPs and five members of national European parliaments, including politicians from Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and Bulgaria's pro-Russian Revival party, Vazrazhdane. Luxembourg MEP Fernand Kartheiser, who was expelled from the ECR group due to his Russian ties, urged dialogue with Russia in a letter to the EU's foreign policy chief, which was subsequently shared by Russian state-controlled media.

The revelation of Gill as a pro-Russian asset has caused significant political fallout, particularly for Nigel Farage and Reform UK. Gill had served as a leader of Reform UK in Wales, and Farage had been a long-standing associate. Farage initially dismissed Gill as a "bad apple" who betrayed his party and country. However, his own historical views on Russia and admiration for Vladimir Putin have come under scrutiny, with critics arguing he created an environment sympathetic to Moscow. Farage has repeatedly warned against "poking the Russian bear" and blamed NATO and EU expansion for provoking the war in Ukraine, views he maintained despite their political cost.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has called on Farage to launch a comprehensive investigation into Reform UK's party structures, membership, donors, and representatives to root out any remaining pro-Russian links. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have echoed these calls, with the latter launching attack ads depicting Farage in Putin's pocket. Reform UK, now ahead in polls, has condemned Gill's actions as "reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable," acknowledging the political danger of appearing too lenient towards Russia given strong public pro-Ukraine sentiment.

The investigation revealed that Gill also arranged for other Brexit Party and former UKIP MEPs, including Steven Woolfe, William Dartmouth, Jonathan Arnott, Jonathan Bullock, and David Coburn, to make pro-Russia statements without their knowledge of the bribes. These MEPs made appearances on 112 Ukraine and in the European Parliament, following Gill's solicitations. Investigators found no evidence that these individuals received money themselves, and the judge clarified that the case was not presented on the basis that they knew of Gill's corrupt dealings. WhatsApp messages recovered after Gill was stopped at Manchester airport in 2021, on his way to Russia to observe Duma elections, showed coded language for payments, such as "xmas presents" and "gifts." Police seized €5,000 in cash and thousands of dollars from his home, though his motivation is largely believed to be financial need. Sentencing Gill, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb stated that he had betrayed public trust, emphasizing that sincerity cannot exist when one is paid to speak.