Sources say the Reform UK leader was “deeply concerned” after counter-espionage experts reportedly found signs that “hostile state actors”, believed to be linked to Moscow, had used spear phishing to compromise his phone, email and bank accounts.
A party source said Farage ordered a forensic analysis after details of the donation became public, claiming only a small number of people knew about it.
The source alleged the hacking “bore all the sophisticated hallmarks of a nation state actor using destabilisation techniques in the run-up to this month’s local elections”, the Mail reported on Saturday.
The source added Farage may have angered Vladimir Putin through his support for Nato, while Harborne could also have attracted Moscow’s attention after joining Boris Johnson on a 2022 trip to Ukraine.
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The donation is already under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, who is examining whether Farage broke Commons rules by accepting the gift shortly before returning to Parliament in 2024.
MPs found to have breached the rules can face sanctions, including suspension.
Farage has insisted he did not need to declare the money because it was used for private security before he became an MP.
Harborne gave a total of £12 million to Reform UK last year.
Defence Secretary John Healey has also asked Farage to clarify whether any of the £5 million could have come from dealings with Russian state-linked energy firms.
Harborne’s company, AML Global, was asked whether it had fully complied with sanctions.
The Guardian, which first reported the donation, rejected Farage’s criticism of its reporting, calling his claims “absurd” and saying he was trying to deflect from scrutiny of his finances.
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