Former MEP jailed for accepting bribes

A former Reform MEP has been jailed after accepting bribes from a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician in exchange for making statements that supported pro-Russian narratives.

In September, Nathan Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery, under the Bribery Act, 2010. He has now been sentenced to 10 years and six months’ imprisonment.

Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport in September 2021. He was due to fly to Moscow and was stopped under schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Borders Security Act, 2019. Officers seized his phone for further information.

Whilst he was stopped at the airport, Counter Terrorism detectives also carried out a search at Gill’s home address in Anglesey, where further electronic items were seized. Officers found large amounts of cash in Euros and US dollars.

Evidence was found on his phone that he was in contact with a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine. The messages showed that Gill had agreed that, in exchange for money, he would make certain statements that were supportive of pro-Russia media being present in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian politician, Oleg Voloshyn, also bribed Gill to make certain comments and statements criticising the Ukrainian government’s decision to ban certain media outlets, as well as criticising the criminal investigation into pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who was being investigated for treason in Ukraine at the time.

British officers liaised with with international partners, including the various European and US agencies.

Detectives were able to identify eight occasions between December 2018 and July 2019, where Gill had agreed to make statements or encourage other MEPs to make statements that parroted the pro-Russian narratives Voloshyn was providing; and that he was agreeing to do this in exchange for money or reward.

Using open-source enquiries, officers were able to identify the respective statements made by Gill, some of which were almost exact copies of the scripts Voloshyn provided.

Gill was interviewed under caution in March 2022, but made no comment. After further enquiries , bribery charged were authorised and Gill was issued this via postal charge requisition in January 2025.

A charge of conspiracy to commit bribery was also authorised against Oleg Voloshyn, though he has never been arrested by UK police.