The Metropolitan Police has now launched a formal investigation into potential wrongdoing following an Electoral Commission investigation into reports that a £37.5k donation to Robert Jenrick’s Tory leadership campaign had originated overseas — Reform UK isn’t alone.
The most troubling detail is that funds said to have been donated by Spott Fitness businessman Phillip Ullmann actually contained a £37.5k sum donated by a US company Innovyz. The company’s founder is Gary Klopfenstein, a convicted fraudster in the US who pleaded guilty in 2024 for wire fraud.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told the Guardian:
We have launched an investigation following a referral from the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, 6 January concerning donations connected to a political party’s leadership campaign. The investigation remains ongoing.
This news comes as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is facing considerable pressure over his choice to accept money donated by another convicted fraudster, raising further questions about whether Reform is simply a political home for MPs who want to blur the lines of what is acceptable in public office.
For the record: a political party that appears to have a track record for having ‘positive’ and lucrative relationships with criminals is likely not a good direction of travel for the British public and our best interests.
The Metropolitan Police has officially launched a criminal investigation into a £37,500 campaign donation made to Robert Jenrick during his 2024 Conservative leadership campaign.
The donation is allegedly linked to Gary Klopfenstein, a convicted American fraudster who pleaded…
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) July 8, 2026
Reform welcomes fraudsters and encourages dishonesty
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is scrambling to dodge questions over accepting money from a foreign crypto-billionaire in Thailand and from convicted fraudster George Cottrell. The pressure is only growing after both donations were flagged by banks and reported to the National Crime Agency (NCA) through suspicious activity reports (SARs).
The Guardian reported last night that bankers raised money laundering concerns with the NCA over money transfers involving Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice, George Cottrell and even Cottrell’s mother, Fiona Cottrell — adding further scrutiny to the party’s finances.
As a result, quite a sordid web is appearing in which the far-right party — similar to Trump in the US — has little issue with working with criminals.
Making matters even worse for the billionaire-interested party of self-gratifying elites, a recent exclusive from the Times today has told of how Cottrell has a habit of hanging out with far-right, race-baiting Tommy Robinson. Reports that he joined Robinson and other far-right activists for drinks shortly after leaving prison, and later appeared backstage at Robinson’s rallies, have raised further questions about his links to the extremist movement.
Given Robinson has made public calls for Pakistani men to be lynched, whilst inciting pogroms and white supremacist riots across the country, it is seeming more and more that criminality and a flagrant disregard for the law is a common thread running amongst these figures.
Reform UK loves liars
Now, with revelations coming about Jenrick and his comfort taking money from another convicted crook – albeit disguised through a British super-rich businessman’s donation – a pretty sordid web is appearing with a pattern of behaviour amongst Reform MPs showing fraudsters have arguably become the common denominator.
Jenrick has denied it, obviously, with his spokesman saying to the BBC:
The suggestion that Robert knowingly accepted impermissible donations is an untrue, politically motivated smear, put about years later by the Conservatives, despite the fact that Mr Ullman was introduced to Robert by a Tory MP, and had his donations’ permissibility checked by the party.
Robert and his campaign team complied with all electoral laws when receiving the donation received from Spott Fitness Ltd in 2024.
Mr Jenrick has never met, spoken to, or had any contact with Mr Klopfenstein, nor was he aware of any connection between him and Mr Ullman’s donation until he was contacted by the Electoral Commission.
He fully cooperated with the Electoral Commission inquiry, providing detailed records that categorically disproved these smears in 2025.
This denial is hardly a surprise, mind, given Reform councillors have had to quit the party after being laughed at in their commitment to local people and challenging power, and instead were actively encouraged to lie.
Jenrick might have a penchant for lying, but thankfully others have higher standards and more pride in their conviction:
“They told me to just lie!”
Former Reform councillor @RobbieLammas reveals the story behind why he was forced to quit the party. pic.twitter.com/y1PDEFXrnc
— LBC (@LBC) July 8, 2026
Reform now playing the victim
Farage, with the help of Leila Cunningham, has insisted he is the victim of a leak from the NCA but their protestations miss one glaring fact.
Their donations have raised serious flags for bankers that they felt the need — in line with their legal responsibilities in the banking sector — to ask the NCA to investigate potential criminal wrongdoing.
Oh good lord..this woman has become a parody of a parody. Lost lost LOST!
LC -The National Crime agency leaked one of our MP's bank statements to The Guardian!!!!!
KGT asks for proof
Miss New Sheriff in town- I don't have it myself , you are gonna have to ask Richard Tice.… pic.twitter.com/7Pktc7y56v
— Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) July 8, 2026
Whether someone leaked that investigation or not misses the bigger point. Years of broken promises and political scandals have left people fed up and questioning who they can trust.
Farage, Tice, Cunningham and Jenrick may want to keep their questionable deals out of the spotlight, but the public is done with corruption wherever it appears — whether it comes from Labour, the Conservatives before them, or Reform UK as they set their sights on government in 2029.
We need less corruption, not more
The fact that Reform MPs are willing to work with and take money from convicted criminals should set alarm bells ringing. It raises serious questions about whether this is a party that should be anywhere near the state’s coffers.
Add in the track record of deceit and manipulation from those they are taking cash and support from, and it paints an even more worrying picture of the kind of government Reform could bring.
The country already lost billions of its wealth to the super-rich under dodgy Boris and the Tories, followed by Labour who have welcomed cash from pro-Israel and Zionist groups supporting genocide.
This rapidly developing and grim story of the depths that Reform MP elites are prepared to sink to signals even greater losses ahead for taxpayers if we allow them to get into power.
Taxpayers will pick up the bill as usual. But don’t hold your breath that will include Farage and his super-rich circle, who can surely expect tax breaks and lucrative government contracts while ordinary hard workers remain trapped paying through the PAYE system.
Featured image via the Canary
