British police investigate donations to Farage's Reform Party

British police are investigating at least 500.000 pounds ($671.300) in donations to Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK party from the mother of his close political ally convicted of wire fraud, the Times newspaper reported.

Police said in a statement that they were investigating possible criminal offenses under laws regulating donations to political parties, which could include concealing the source of funding or providing false information to a party treasurer.

"The investigation was launched in February 2025 after the Electoral Commission referred a case to the Metropolitan Police in relation to donations made to a political party in the run-up to the 2024 UK general election," a spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police said.

Police added that two people were questioned but that no arrests had been made, without confirming the names of those linked to the donations under investigation.

Farage has faced questions for weeks about his party's funding and his own financial dealings, including undeclared gifts from billionaires and cryptocurrency investors, as well as from Cottrell, who was convicted of fraud in the United States.

Farage has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, stating that he received the donation from the crypto investor before he announced his candidacy in the 2024 election, and therefore did not have to report it.

The Times reported that the police investigation relates to payments made to Reform by Fiona Cottrell, the mother of George Cottrell, ahead of the 2024 election.

Cottrell, a longtime political ally, was imprisoned in the US in 2017 after pleading guilty to wire fraud and now works in the cryptocurrency field.

Farage, a Brexiteer, suddenly announced earlier this week that he would resign as an MP and stand again in the same constituency, seeking a vote of confidence from voters in response to criticism over his finances.