Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, has been under mounting pressure to provide evidence for his claim that a state-sponsored Russian hack was behind the disclosure of a £5m gift he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
According to an analysis by counter-espionage experts at Reform UK, Farage's phone, email, and bank accounts were compromised using spear phishing tactics, which are typically employed by hostile actors linked to Moscow.
The investigation into the alleged hack has raised questions about Farage's handling of the £5m gift, which he initially claimed was a 'gift' that did not need to be declared. However, it emerged that the money was given to him through a company linked to Harborne, who is one of the UK's wealthiest crypto investors and a major financial backer of right-wing causes.
The National Cyber Security Centre has stated that they are not aware of any report from Farage related to the alleged hack. The incident has sparked calls for Farage to come forward with evidence to support his claim.