Reform UK’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice has written to the head of the National Crime Agency (NCA) requesting an investigation into the possible leak of his private financial information.
Payments to his organizations were flagged to the NCA under its Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR) programme, which Tice only became aware of after being contacted by the Guardian newspaper.
Reform UK suspects the information originated from the NCA.
An NCA spokesperson stated: “The NCA does not confirm or deny the receipt of suspicious activity reports (SARs), nor comment on how any SAR is used. SARs are confidential, and breaching that confidentiality risks committing a tipping off offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”
Tice’s company, Tisun Investment, received a £80,000 loan from George Cottrell, a close ally of Reform leader Nigel Farage, in late 2024, as first reported by the Telegraph.
In June 2024, Tice’s think tank, Britain Means Business, received a £1 million donation from Cottrell’s mother, Fiona.
According to Electoral Commission data, Britain Means Business donated £500,000 to Reform UK in the same month.
The NCA was alerted to these transactions through its SARs programme, designed to identify potential money laundering, with 866,616 cases flagged in 2024/25.
The NCA typically shares SARs information with police forces and other organizations involved in related investigations.
Cottrell is central to a political controversy following the Sunday Times report that he provided Farage with security and social media support before his election as an MP.
Parliamentary rules require MPs to declare gifts or benefits received in the 12 months prior to election if they relate to political activities, though personal gifts are exempt.
Reform UK maintains that Farage did not violate rules, as Cottrell’s support was provided in a “purely personal capacity.”