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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/01/arron-banks-referred-to-agency-over-suspected-offences-in-brexit-campaign
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| Arron Banks faces criminal inquiry over Brexit campaign | Arron Banks faces criminal inquiry over Brexit campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The National Crime Agency has launched an investigation into Arron Banks and other people and groups linked to the leave campaign over suspected criminal offences in the Brexit referendum, it has announced. | The National Crime Agency has launched an investigation into Arron Banks and other people and groups linked to the leave campaign over suspected criminal offences in the Brexit referendum, it has announced. |
| It came after the Electoral Commission said it had referred the cases to the NCA over suspicions that a “number of criminal offences may have been committed”, and that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that Banks, the insurance millionaire who backed the unofficial leave campaign, was not the “true source” of £8m in funding to it. | |
| An Electoral Commission statement said its investigation focused on £2m reported to have been lent to Better for the Country (BFTC), a company he used to finance the Leave.EU campaign, and £6m more reportedly given to the organisation, on behalf of Leave.EU, by Banks. | An Electoral Commission statement said its investigation focused on £2m reported to have been lent to Better for the Country (BFTC), a company he used to finance the Leave.EU campaign, and £6m more reportedly given to the organisation, on behalf of Leave.EU, by Banks. |
| Of this money, £2.9m was used to fund referendum spending on behalf of Leave.EU. | Of this money, £2.9m was used to fund referendum spending on behalf of Leave.EU. |
| The Electoral Commission statement said: “Due to multiple suspected offences, some of which fall outside the commission’s remit, the commission has referred this matter and handed its evidence to the National Crime Agency.” | The Electoral Commission statement said: “Due to multiple suspected offences, some of which fall outside the commission’s remit, the commission has referred this matter and handed its evidence to the National Crime Agency.” |
| The NCA confirmed it had begun an investigation connected to “suspected electoral law offences covered by that referral, as well as any associated offences”. | The NCA confirmed it had begun an investigation connected to “suspected electoral law offences covered by that referral, as well as any associated offences”. |
| It said in a statement: “While electoral law offences would not routinely fall within the NCA’s remit, the nature of the necessary inquiries and the potential for offences to have been committed other than under electoral law led us to consider an NCA investigation appropriate in this instance.” | It said in a statement: “While electoral law offences would not routinely fall within the NCA’s remit, the nature of the necessary inquiries and the potential for offences to have been committed other than under electoral law led us to consider an NCA investigation appropriate in this instance.” |
| Banks, formerly a major bankroller of Ukip, said in a statement he was “pleased” at the news. He said: “I am confident that a full and frank investigation will finally put an end to the ludicrous allegations levelled against me and my colleagues. | Banks, formerly a major bankroller of Ukip, said in a statement he was “pleased” at the news. He said: “I am confident that a full and frank investigation will finally put an end to the ludicrous allegations levelled against me and my colleagues. |
| “There is no evidence of any wrongdoing from the companies I own. I am a UK taxpayer and I have never received any foreign donations. The Electoral Commission has produced no evidence to the contrary. The Electoral Commission has referred me to the National Crime Agency under intense political pressure from anti-Brexit supporters.” | “There is no evidence of any wrongdoing from the companies I own. I am a UK taxpayer and I have never received any foreign donations. The Electoral Commission has produced no evidence to the contrary. The Electoral Commission has referred me to the National Crime Agency under intense political pressure from anti-Brexit supporters.” |
| Andy Wigmore, a spokesman for Leave.EU, said: “It’s completely to be expected. It will finally bring a head to all these crazy allegations made about us. We’re not worried.” | Andy Wigmore, a spokesman for Leave.EU, said: “It’s completely to be expected. It will finally bring a head to all these crazy allegations made about us. We’re not worried.” |
| Those referred to the NCA are Banks, BFTC, Leave.EU, Elizabeth Bilney – a long-time Banks associate – and “other associated companies and individuals”. | Those referred to the NCA are Banks, BFTC, Leave.EU, Elizabeth Bilney – a long-time Banks associate – and “other associated companies and individuals”. |
| The investigation centres on the suspicion Banks was not the “true source” of the £8m of loans made to BFTC, and that loans involved funds from a “non-qualifying or impermissible company” based in the Isle of Man. | The investigation centres on the suspicion Banks was not the “true source” of the £8m of loans made to BFTC, and that loans involved funds from a “non-qualifying or impermissible company” based in the Isle of Man. |
| The Electoral Commission statement said the investigation would look into whether Banks, Bilney and others involved in BFTC, Leave.EU and associated companies “concealed the true details of these financial transactions”. | The Electoral Commission statement said the investigation would look into whether Banks, Bilney and others involved in BFTC, Leave.EU and associated companies “concealed the true details of these financial transactions”. |
| Bob Posner, the Electoral Commission’s director of political finance and regulation, said: “We have reasonable grounds to suspect money given to Better for the Country came from impermissible sources and that Mr Banks and Ms Bilney, the responsible person for Leave.EU, knowingly concealed the true circumstances under which this money was provided. | Bob Posner, the Electoral Commission’s director of political finance and regulation, said: “We have reasonable grounds to suspect money given to Better for the Country came from impermissible sources and that Mr Banks and Ms Bilney, the responsible person for Leave.EU, knowingly concealed the true circumstances under which this money was provided. |
| “This is significant because at least £2.9m of this money was used to fund referendum spending and donations during the regulated period of the EU referendum. | “This is significant because at least £2.9m of this money was used to fund referendum spending and donations during the regulated period of the EU referendum. |
| “Our investigation has unveiled evidence that suggests criminal offences have been committed which fall beyond the remit of the commission. This is why we have handed our evidence to the NCA to allow them to investigate and take any appropriate law enforcement action. This is now a criminal investigation.” | “Our investigation has unveiled evidence that suggests criminal offences have been committed which fall beyond the remit of the commission. This is why we have handed our evidence to the NCA to allow them to investigate and take any appropriate law enforcement action. This is now a criminal investigation.” |
| In a report on the investigation published alongside its statement, the Electoral Commission said BFTC spent at least £2.9m of the money in question – £750,000 on payments for Leave.EU and £2.2m donated to other campaigners. Both Leave.EU and BFTC had said all the money came only from Banks, it added. | In a report on the investigation published alongside its statement, the Electoral Commission said BFTC spent at least £2.9m of the money in question – £750,000 on payments for Leave.EU and £2.2m donated to other campaigners. Both Leave.EU and BFTC had said all the money came only from Banks, it added. |
| However, the investigations found parties involved in the transactions included Rock Holding Limited, a company majority-owned by Banks which is incorporated in the Isle of Man. Under electoral law, companies based outside the UK are not allowed to donate or loan to political campaigns. When asked about the circumstances, Banks and Bilney “gave us unsatisfactory explanations about these transactions, and we have reasonable grounds to suspect that they knowingly concealed and sought to conceal the true circumstances”, the report said. | However, the investigations found parties involved in the transactions included Rock Holding Limited, a company majority-owned by Banks which is incorporated in the Isle of Man. Under electoral law, companies based outside the UK are not allowed to donate or loan to political campaigns. When asked about the circumstances, Banks and Bilney “gave us unsatisfactory explanations about these transactions, and we have reasonable grounds to suspect that they knowingly concealed and sought to conceal the true circumstances”, the report said. |
| Of the money given to other organisations, the report said, £1.9m was donated to Grassroots Out, with smaller sums going to Trade Unionists Against the EU, Ukip, Veterans for Britain, and TV station Wag TV, which made a pro-Brexit documentary. | Of the money given to other organisations, the report said, £1.9m was donated to Grassroots Out, with smaller sums going to Trade Unionists Against the EU, Ukip, Veterans for Britain, and TV station Wag TV, which made a pro-Brexit documentary. |
| In his statement, Banks questioned why donations from the Hungarian-American financier George Soros to anti-Brexit campaigners had not been “subject to any level of scrutiny by the Electoral Commission, despite his being a foreign national”. | In his statement, Banks questioned why donations from the Hungarian-American financier George Soros to anti-Brexit campaigners had not been “subject to any level of scrutiny by the Electoral Commission, despite his being a foreign national”. |
| This is because Soros’s donations were made outside an election period, when rules on foreign donations are different. | This is because Soros’s donations were made outside an election period, when rules on foreign donations are different. |
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