Nigel Farage has been receiving substantial help from George Swinfen Cottrell — a British aristocrat who has been convicted of serious crimes in the United States — much of which he did not declare publicly, the Sunday Times reported this weekend.

Cottrell was convicted of 21 crimes including money laundering (hiding where illegal money came from) and wire fraud (deceiving people through electronic communication). He served time in a US federal prison. He has since written a book about how money laundering works, marketed as a guide for law enforcement.

How They Worked Together

Farage and Cottrell's working relationship began again before the 2024 general election. According to the Sunday Times, Cottrell introduced Farage to Jack Anderton — a 25-year-old activist from Liverpool — in 2023 to run Farage's social media accounts, particularly on TikTok. Cottrell paid Anderton roughly £55,000 a year. Cottrell also helped arrange a £1.5 million payment for Farage to appear on I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

Beyond that, Cottrell provided Farage with security staff (mostly former soldiers) and drivers. He rented an expensive flat near Buckingham Palace and let Farage stay there.

When Farage ran for Parliament in 2024 and became the leader of Reform UK, Cottrell was often at his side. This was particularly visible at Farage's campaign launch in Clacton, where the candidate was famously hit with a milkshake. Farage was elected MP for Clacton on 4 July 2024.

What Was Actually Declared

Only two gifts from Cottrell appear in the Register of Members' Financial Interests — the official record that MPs must keep. Farage registered a trip to Belgium worth £9,253 in April 2024, and a flight in the United States worth £15,276 in December 2024. Nothing else is listed.

But the Sunday Times describes much larger support: security, expensive accommodation, a paid social media manager, and a television appearance deal. The register requires MPs to declare gifts and money above certain amounts. The gap between what was declared and what the newspaper describes is what the story is really about.

A spokesman for Farage said the story was "baseless and contrived" and claimed "no parliamentary rules have been broken."

The Pardon Question

Another part of the story involves Cottrell asking the US president for a pardon. If that is happening while Cottrell is helping a British MP, it could look like he is using that relationship to gain influence in Washington. The benefit to Cottrell of being close to a UK politician is easy to understand.

openDemocracy reported in March 2025 that Cottrell had created a private political company that doesn't have to file public accounts. An expert in fighting corruption said this raised "real red flags."

Taken together — a conviction for financial crimes, money given to an MP that was not properly declared, a secretive company structure, and an active request for a presidential pardon — the story raises serious questions about how all these connections fit together.

Farage's office has not responded to the specific claims about the flat, security or the salary paid to the social media manager. The Sunday Times is calling for the standards authorities to check whether Farage's register entries are complete. It is now up to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to decide whether to investigate.