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The UK's National Crime Agency is investigating Arron Banks, the entrepreneur in the insurance sector who was a key Brexit donor in the referendum on the European Union, following an investigation conducted by the election warden.
The electoral commission said Thursday that it thought "that a number of criminal offenses may have been committed" after investigating Mr. Banks and some of his companies.
The commission returned Mr. Banks to the NCA after considering 8 million pounds of funding that he and his group of insurance companies allegedly provided to Better for the Country, an entity controlled by him, and Leave. EU, the pro-Brexit campaign group. founded by him.
As a result of its investigation, the Commission stated that it had "reasonable grounds to suspect" that Mr. Banks was "not the true source" of the £ 8 million loan.
Some of the loans related to Rock Holdings, another company controlled by Mr. Banks, which the commission described as "unlawful corporation", since it had been incorporated on the Isle of Man.
Under UK law, loans and donations in elections and referendums can only come from certain authorized sources, which excludes foreign funding.
The commission then accused Banks and Elizabeth Bilney, General Manager of Leave.EU, of concealing the "real details" surrounding the £ 8 million of financial transactions.
In addition to Mr. Banks and Ms. Bilney, the board also referred to Better for the Country and Leave.EU at NCA.
Better for the country led the Leave.EU campaign on his behalf and paid for his referendum expenses, the commission said.
Bob Posner, director of political finance and regulation at the commission, said, "We have reasonable grounds to believe that the money paid to Better for the Country comes from illicit sources and from Mr. Banks and Ms. Bilney. . . knowingly concealed the real circumstances in which this money was provided.
"This is important because at least 2.9 million pounds of this money were used to finance the expenses and referendum donations during the regulated period of the European referendum.
"Our investigation revealed evidence suggesting that criminal offenses exceeded the jurisdiction of the commission. That is why we have forwarded our evidence to the NCA to enable them to conduct an investigation and take any appropriate action in the area of law enforcement. It is now a criminal investigation. "
The NCA confirmed that it was investigating the referral of the commission stating, "Our investigation concerns alleged violations of the electoral law referred to in this reference, as well as related offenses.
"While electoral law offenses are not systematically within the mandate of the NCA, the nature of the investigations required and the potential for offenses to have been committed otherwise than under electoral law lead us to consider that". an NCA investigation is appropriate in this case. "
The news of the NCA's investigation of Mr. Banks will deepen the controversy around him and other personalities at Leave.EU.
The organization was not the official group of the pro-Brexit campaign during the referendum campaign, but it spent a lot and played a key role.
Some observers have stated that Leave.EU is particularly influential in the constituencies of the working-class majority with its anti-immigrant populist message.
Mr. Banks said in a statement issued by Leave.EU: "I am pleased that the electoral commission has referred me to the National Crime Agency. I am convinced that a full and frank inquiry will finally put an end to the ridiculous allegations made against me and my colleagues.
"There is no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the companies I own. I am a British taxpayer and I have never received foreign donations. The Electoral Commission has not provided any evidence to the contrary. "
