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● TRACKER Updated 2d ago · 15 sources tracked

Crypto investor pardoned by Trump donates £36 million to Farage's Reform UK

Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne have donated a combined £72 million to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. The contribution represents the largest political donation in British history. These funds exceed the total spending of either the Labour or Conservative parties during the last UK general election. The influx of capital comes as police investigate the party's funding sources and critics argue that billionaire bankrolling is Americanising British politics.

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  • ✓ Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne donated a total of £72 million to Reform UK.
  • ✓ The £72 million contribution is a UK donation record.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 15 independent reporting domains (90% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

New reports clarify the donation timeline varied between 24 and 48 hours and note an ongoing police probe into party funding.

Live updates

  1. Crypto Billionaires Donate Record £72 Million to Reform UK

    Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne have donated a combined £72 million to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. The contribution represents the largest political donation in British history. These funds exceed the total spending of either the Labour or Conservative parties during the last UK general election. The influx of capital comes as police investigate the party's funding sources and critics argue that billionaire bankrolling is Americanising British politics.

    Why it matters

    Reform UK is an anti-immigration party that played a role in Brexit. The scale of these donations raises questions about the influence of private wealth on the next general election.

    What is confirmed

    • Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne donated a total of £72 million to Reform UK.
    • The £72 million contribution is a UK donation record.

    Still unconfirmed

    • Police are probing the funding of Reform UK.
    • The donations occurred within a single 24-hour window.

    What to watch next

    • Results of the police probe into Reform UK funding
    • Official spending reports for the next general election
    Sources used for this update (4)
    1. www.crowdfundinsider.com — Crypto Billionaires Give Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Record £72 Million in 24 Hours
    2. www.smh.com.au — Bitcoin billionaires give Nigel Farage’s Reform UK £72m in 48 hours
    3. startupfortune.com — Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne Gave Reform UK $97 Million in a Day
    4. www.lbc.co.uk — Reform has imported the worst parts of American politics, writes Lewis Goodall
    confidence 90%

  2. Reform UK Receives Record £72M from Crypto Donors

    Reform UK received seventy-two million pounds from two cryptocurrency billionaires over the weekend, marking the largest political donation in British history. BitMEX co-founder Ben Delo pledged a record thirty-six million pounds to Nigel Farage's party, followed days later by a matching thirty-six million pound donation from Christopher Harborne. The contributions have revived red versus blue politics and fueled concerns about the influence of money in politics ahead of the next UK general election.

    Why it matters

    The donations provide a massive financial boost to the anti-immigration party led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage. Ben Delo described his contribution as a philanthropic gift to the country. The massive influx of crypto wealth highlights shifting political funding dynamics and intensifies scrutiny on party financing.

    What is confirmed

    • Reform UK received seventy-two million pounds from two cryptocurrency billionaires over the weekend.
    • BitMEX co-founder Ben Delo donated thirty-six million pounds to Nigel Farage's party.
    • Christopher Harborne matched Ben Delo's thirty-six million pound donation to Reform UK.

    Still unconfirmed

    • Ben Delo's total reported support for Reform UK reached about forty-four million pounds before the 2029 election.

    What to watch next

    • Further disclosures of political donations to Reform UK or other political parties
    • Official responses from rival political leaders regarding campaign finance regulations
    Sources used for this update (12)
    1. reuters.com — Crypto investor pardoned by Trump donates £36 million to Farage's Reform UK
    2. BBC — Burnham and Badenoch revive red versus blue politics as Reform land 'gobsmacking' donation
    3. theguardian.com — Reform UK given record £36m donation by British crypto billionaire
    4. politico.eu — Farage’s Reform UK gets £36 Million from crypto billionaire
    5. The Telegraph — My donation to Reform is a philanthropic gift to our country
    6. BBC — Reform receives second £36m donation in two days as crypto investor matches record
    7. The Guardian — Christopher Harborne matches £36m Reform donation of Ben Delo
    8. 10TV — Crypto billionaires give $97 million to Reform UK, fueling concerns about money in politics
    9. timesofindia.indiatimes.com — Who is Ben Delo? British crypto billionaire pardoned by Trump donates £36m to Reform UK
    10. www.straitstimes.com — Billionaire Delo gives record £36 million to Farage’s Reform UK
    11. www.yahoo.com — Crypto billionaires give $97 million to Reform UK, fueling concerns about money in politics
    12. blockonomi.com — BitMEX Co-Founder Ben Delo Gives Reform UK Record £36M Donation
    confidence 100%
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