UK political adviser authors money laundering guide
A senior adviser to the UK's Reform party, who was previously jailed for offering money laundering advice on the dark web, has now published a "how-to" book on laundering cash. The incident highlights the persistent links between political operatives and financial crime, as well as the commercialization of illicit finance expertise.
- The adviser, George Cottrell, is a close aide to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and was previously convicted of wire fraud in the US after being arrested in 2016 while with Farage. He pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in exchange for 20 other charges, including money laundering, being dropped. - Cottrell served eight months in a US prison. Prosecutors reportedly recommended a lighter sentence because he had provided federal agents with additional information after his arrest as part of a plea deal. - The book, titled "How to Launder Money: A Guide for Law Enforcement, Prosecutors and Policymakers," is co-authored by Lawrence Burke Files, an international financial investigator. The authors claim it offers a look at the "bent levers of finance" and describes anti-money laundering laws as a "convoluted failure." - The book launch event at a luxury hotel in Whitehall was attended by senior Reform UK figures, including party leader Nigel Farage and party chairman Richard Tice. - At the launch, Cottrell reportedly joked that he did "extensive research for the book, though unfortunately a lot of it is held by the FBI." He also stated that there is "nothing in this book that will assist money launderers or criminals." - Cottrell, an aristocrat nicknamed "Posh George," comes from a wealthy family and was privately educated. His uncle is Lord Hesketh, a former treasurer of Reform's predecessor party, UKIP. - The book is published by Biteback, a publishing house owned by Lord Ashcroft, a prominent political donor and former Conservative Party treasurer. - Beyond his political advisory role, Cottrell has been involved in professional gambling, reportedly as part of a syndicate that earned up to $250 million.
