UK Reform Party leader Nigel Farage once described one of the party’s volunteers who is also a convicted fraudster and the alleged owner of an illegal crypto ATM, as being ‘like a son to me.’
According to the Byline Times, Farage made the comment about financier George Cottrell in 2020.
Cottrell, also known as ‘Posh George,’ was caught in an FBI sting operation agreeing to launder £120,000 per month in drug funds. He allegedly threatened to report the fake drug traffickers to the police in an attempt to blackmail them out of 130 bitcoins, then worth $80,000.
Cottrell also faced allegations of owning an illegal crypto ATM machine at a private members club and casino in Montenegro. However, he denies having any financial ties to the casino and company records state a Malaysian accountant from London owns the property.
He was subsequently sentenced to eight months on one count of wire fraud in 2017 and was issued another 20 charges including blackmail that were dropped as part of a plea deal.
Read more: Reform UK candidate founded crypto ‘Ponzi,’ but denies involvement
The current Miss Montenegro and Cottrell’s former girlfriend, Anđela Vukadinović, told the Guardian that Cottrell and Farage were “very close.”
“[George] respects him so much. He always talks about him like Nigel is No 1 for him. So it’s all about Nigel,” Vukadinovic said. She also claims Cottrell was close to Montenegro’s now-prime minister, Milojko Spajić, until the pair drifted apart this year.
Cottrell was with Farage when he was ‘milkshake’d,’ and the Guardian reports he was also spotted with Farage at his press conference in a London hotel and was present during Reform UK’s manifesto launch. The two were also pictured in 2019 at a polo match in Montenegro and have been spotted dining together at luxury restaurants.
He has reportedly flown Farage via private jet to his Montenegro home and entertained him at a villa where Farage is said to have a favorite bed. Cottrell also owns a luxury apartment at the five-star Regent Porto Montenegro Hotel.
Cottrell was also accused of illegally funding Spajić’s Europe Now! Movement but his lawyers claim the accusations were ‘part of a political game,’ and disinformation campaign. They also said that a presiding magistrate rejected a search warrant request made against Cottrell.
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Read More: Nigel Farage said shady alleged crypto ATM owner is ‘like a son to me’