Police are investigating £500,000 in donations made to Reform UK by the mother of convicted fraudster George Cottrell, a close ally of Nigel Farage.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are investigating two donations of £250,000 made by Fiona Cottrell in May 2024. Detectives are examining whether the money may have been used to conceal the identity of the true donor, which would be an offence under UK electoral law.

The investigation began in February 2025 after the Electoral Commission referred the matter to Scotland Yard. Police said two people have been interviewed under caution, although no arrests have been made.

The case centres on Section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, which makes it a criminal offence to disguise or conceal the true source of a political donation.

The donations under investigation are separate from another financial transaction involving Fiona Cottrell. In June 2024, she transferred around £1 million to Britain Means Business, a company run by Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice.

Earlier this week, it emerged that the transfer had been reported to the National Crime Agency by bankers after concerns were raised about the source of the funds. Financial industry sources have claimed investigators have been unable to establish where the money originally came from. Around £500,000 of that sum was later transferred to Reform UK ahead of the general election.

The latest police investigation adds to growing scrutiny of Reform UK’s finances and the party’s fundraising. It also comes as Nigel Farage faces renewed questions over financial transparency following previous reports about an undeclared £5 million gift from cryptocurrency entrepreneur Christopher Harborne.

Attention has also turned to Fiona Cottrell herself. Despite being understood to have relatively modest means, she has donated a reported £1.75 million to Reform UK and Britain Means Business. She has declined to comment on the donations currently being investigated.

George Cottrell has also faced questions over his own financial links to Reform UK. Lawyers acting for him have insisted he is a permissible political donor despite living in Montenegro, although they have not explained the legal basis for that claim.

Cottrell served eight months in a US prison after being convicted of wire fraud in 2017. The conviction followed his involvement in offering money laundering services on the dark web. He later published a book titled How to Launder Money, which he said was intended as a guide for policymakers and law enforcement.

His lawyers have also declined to answer detailed questions about his financial relationship with his mother.

The investigation is also likely to increase pressure on Reform UK’s leadership over George Cottrell’s relationship with Nigel Farage. Reports have claimed he described himself as Farage’s chief of staff and paid for a range of expenses including dinners and VIP transport. Reform UK has repeatedly denied he has ever held an official role within the party.

Separate reports have also linked Cottrell to a multimillion pound Premier League gambling operation allegedly connected to football businessman Tony Bloom, according to court documents. He is also reported to have been involved in cryptocurrency ventures linked to offshore gambling, including Tether.bet. Through his lawyers, Cottrell has denied serving as a director of the company.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said detectives from its Special Enquiry Team launched the investigation after receiving a referral from the Electoral Commission in February 2025. Officers confirmed two people have been interviewed under caution and that no arrests have been made.

The force added that offences relating to concealing the true source of political donations fall outside the Electoral Commission’s investigative powers and are therefore a matter for the police.

The Electoral Commission said it had no further comment while the police investigation remains ongoing.