The Straits Times World News
· collected 2026-09-03 · by The Straits Times
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, received a significant donation from Ben Delo, a crypto entrepreneur pardoned by Donald Trump after being convicted of a banking secrecy violation. The £4 million donation accounts for 75% of Reform UK's donations in the April-June quarter, with the party raising a total of £5.3 million. This is a notable increase from its mainstream opponents, but less than previous quarters. Delo announced his involvement in politics to "save Britain before decline becomes irreversible", and has been investing in the UK after returning from Hong Kong.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-03,
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Story summary
The Reform UK party, a populist party led by Nigel Farage, received a large donation of £4 million from Ben Delo, a crypto investor who was convicted of a banking secrecy violation in the US and later pardoned by Donald Trump. This single donation accounted for 75% of the party's donations in the April-June quarter, when it raised a total of £5.3 million. Delo, who has recently moved back to the UK from Hong Kong, claimed he was getting involved in politics to "save Britain before decline becomes irreversible". The donation is significant because it dwarfs the amounts raised by Reform UK's mainstream opponents, although it's still less than what the party had previously raised in two quarters. Delo's past conviction and pardon are also notable, as he pleaded guilty to a US banking secrecy violation in 2022 after his crypto company BitMEX was accused of failing to prevent money laundering.
Written for “Reform UK Donations Scandal” on 2026-09-03,
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Leaning score +0.35 for article 3635 (medium confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-03
Reform UK gets 75% of its donations from crypto entreprenneur pardoned by Trump
LONDON, Sept 3 -
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UK → get → Trump
Britain's populist Reform UK party received a £4 million donation from a crypto investor convicted of a banking secrecy violation in the United States and pardoned by Donald Trump, accounting for 75% of the party's donations last quarter.
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party → receive → donations
The party led by veteran Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage received the big donation from Ben Delo, who announced this year he was returning to the UK from Hong Kong and involving himself in politics "to save Britain before decline becomes irreversible".
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decline → lead → Britain
In total, the party raised £5.3 million in the April-June quarter, more than its mainstream opponents but less than the more than £9 million it had raised in each of the two previous quarters, according to figures published by election officials on Thursday.
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it → raise → Thursday
Delo pleaded guilty to a U.S. banking secrecy violation in 2022 after prosecutors accused his crypto company BitMEX of deliberately failing to maintain required safeguards against money laundering.
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prosecutors → plead → laundering
He was pardoned by Trump last year.
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He → pardon → Trump
Reform disclosed no donations in the quarter from its biggest donor, Christopher Harborne, another crypto entrepreneur.
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Reform → disclose → donor
Harborne is British-born and based in Thailand.
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Harborne → bear → Thailand
The British government has announced plans this year to tighten rules on political donations by British citizens who live abroad, and limit their contributions to £100,000.
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who → announce → 100,000
Reform has only eight members of parliament but led opinion polls in Britain for most of the past two years, until the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his replacement by Andy Burnham in July revived the fortunes of the governing Labour Party.
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resignation → have → Party
Reform's popularity has been dented since news emerged this year that Harborne had given Farage £5 million in 2024, which Farage did not declare.
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Farage → dent → which
Parliamentary officials are investigating whether that broke rules on declaration of political donations.
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that → investigate → donations
Farage denies wrongdoing and says the funds were a personal gift that did not require declaration.
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that → deny → declaration
He stepped down from parliament and won re-election last month but could be removed and have to stand again if found to have broken rules.
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He → step → rules
Reform did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Reform → respond → comment
The governing Labour Party received £3.6 million in donations, excluding public funds, in the quarter, while the official opposition Conservative Party raised £2.8 million.
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Party → govern → million
