By Gabriel Princewill-
The National Press Agency(NCA) appear to be struggling to explain why they have no deadline to the investigation being conducted by its own professional Standards department in relation to the leak of information to the British press about Nigel Farage’s finances.
The Eye Of Media.Com has today communicated with the NCA twice, verbally and in writing, pushing them for an explanation to why they cannot directly address the reform leader’s decision to institute legal proceedings against the NCA, for allegedly mishandling what the reform leader describes as’ private information’.
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Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, .and deputy leader Richard Tice, revealed on Friday that they are taking legal action against the National Crime Agency over allegations that confidential financial information relating to them was improperly disclosed to the press. This has escalated an increasingly bitter dispute over the handling of sensitive banking information.
Tice, the MP for Boston and Skegness, has accused the NCA of being responsible for what he describes as the leaking of highly private financial material, including individual bank statements, details of bank transfers and records of conversations with bank managers.
He has also strongly rejected suggestions of wrongdoing and has described the reporting surrounding the financial arrangements as part of what he characterises as a politically motivated campaign against the party. The claims have prompted an internal investigation by the agency and could lead to a significant legal battle over the protection of confidential information held by law enforcement bodies.
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Background Gift
The background begins with a £5 million gift received by Farage from cryptocurrency businessman Christopher Harborne in 2024. Banks became concerned about aspects of the transaction, and reported it to the National Crime Agency through the UK’s Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) system.
The Guardian reported that bankers had concerns about the transaction and that information about the payment subsequently became part of its reporting. A SAR is important here because it is not itself a criminal allegation or proof of wrongdoing.
Banks file SARs when they have suspicions about transactions that may warrant investigation, including possible money laundering. The NCA receives thousands of such reports and can assess, disseminate or act on the intelligence where appropriate.
The NCA found no evidence of wrongdoing by Farage or Richard Tice in connection with the financial information at issue. The controversy arose because journalists subsequently obtained detailed financial information relating to Farage and other Reform figures.
Farage has alleged that this information could only have come from the NCA because the agency had access to material supplied through the financial-intelligence system. He has claimed that the NCA leaked documents, including company bank statements and individual bank transfers to the press.
Speaking to TalkTV, Tice said he and Farage believed the alleged disclosures amounted to multiple criminal offences, and indicated that they intended to seek both an apology and financial damages.
The dispute has intensified following a series of reports concerning the financial arrangements surrounding Reform UK and the activities of people associated with the party.
Particular attention has focused on George Cottrell, a long-time aide to Farage, and questions surrounding money used to support Reform’s political operation, including spending reportedly connected to staffing, security and accommodation.
Farage’s response was to focus not only on the substance of the reporting but on how journalists obtained the information. He accused the NCA of improperly disclosing confidential financial material.
Richard Tice made a similar complaint, saying he had only become aware that payments involving his organisations had been reported to the NCA when journalists contacted him. Tice subsequently asked the NCA to investigate whether its own personnel had leaked his private financial information.
There is therefore an important distinction between the original disclosure to the NCA and the alleged later disclosure by the NCA. The banks appear to have legitimately supplied financial intelligence to the agency through the SAR system. The disputed issue is whether someone within the NCA subsequently passed confidential information to journalists.
Tice subsequently asked the NCA to investigate whether its own personnel had leaked his private financial information.
There is therefore an important distinction between the original disclosure to the NCA and the later disclosure by the NCA to the press. The banks appear to have legitimately supplied financial intelligence to the agency through the SAR system. The disputed issue is whether someone within the NCA subsequently passed confidential information to journalists.
Cottrell has previously attracted significant public attention because of his criminal conviction in the United States. He was sentenced to eight months in prison in 2017 after pleading guilty to charges connected to fraud offences. His past has now become part of a wider scrutiny surrounding financial arrangements linked to Reform and individuals close to its leadership.
Further headlines emerged last month over payments made by Cottrell’s mother to Tice’s company, Britain Means Business. According to reports, the transactions had been flagged to the NCA through the UK’s suspicious activity reports system.
The system is designed to allow businesses and financial institutions to alert law enforcement when they identify transactions or activity that could potentially be connected to money laundering or other financial crime.
However, the existence of a suspicious activity report does not in itself mean that a person has committed a crime. SARs are intelligence reports intended to alert authorities to transactions that may warrant further consideration.
Their existence can therefore provide law enforcement with information for assessment without constituting an allegation or finding of criminal wrongdoing. That distinction is central to the dispute now involving Reform’s leadership.
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