British police launched a criminal investigation on Thursday into a top Brexit donor over his alleged use of offshore companies to finance the campaign to leave the European Union. "Our investigation relates to suspected electoral law offences... as well as any associated offences," the National Crime Agency (NCA), which investigates serious and organised crime, said following a referral from the Electoral Commission.
The commission said on Thursday it had "reasonable grounds" to believe Banks - an insurance company owner who was the single biggest donor behind the campaign to leave the EU - was not the true source of the loans made to the pro-Brexit camp.
The NCA said its work will focus on Banks and two companies he is associated with - Better for the Country (BFTC) and campaign group Leave.EU. They will also investigate Leave.EU chief Elizabeth Bilney.
The probe into Arron Banks comes in the wake of media revelations that he held a series of secret meetings with senior Russian embassy officials in London around the time of the 2016 vote. Banks denied any criminal wrongdoing following the reports. At least one of those meetings allegedly saw the embassy officials present Banks with a lucrative investment opportunity in a Russian gold company.
The deal never went through and Russia denies backing the pro-Brexit effort in a bid to weaken the European Union. Banks said on Thursday that he was happy to have the opportunity to clear his name.
"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 said in a statement issued by Leave.EU. "I am a UK taxpayer and I have never received any foreign donations," he said.
The Electoral Commission said its investigation into alleged campaign violations focused on £2 million (2.3 million euros, $2.6 million) reported to have been loaned to BFTC by Banks and his insurance companies. They also looked into a further £6 million reported to have been given to the organisation on behalf of Leave.EU by Banks alone.
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