Aristocrat George Cottrell, known as 'Posh George', is reportedly at the center of a controversy surrounding Nigel Farage's failure to declare benefits received before becoming a Member of Parliament. The 32-year-old, who has a prior conviction for fraud in the United States, is alleged to have provided support including security and social media staff to Farage in the year leading up to his election.

Under parliamentary rules, new MPs are required to declare any financial interests and registrable benefits received in the 12 months preceding their election. Reform UK, Farage's party, has stated that no rules were broken, with a party spokesman asserting that the support was provided in a personal capacity and therefore did not need to be registered.

Cottrell, whose mother is an aristocrat and whose maternal grandfather inherited a family soap empire, reportedly left education without A-levels after being expelled from Malvern College due to a gambling addiction. His connection with Farage began when he volunteered for the politician in an Essex by-election in 2015. He was subsequently appointed Ukip's head of fundraising at the age of 22.

The controversy comes after reports that Cottrell provided significant support to Farage, including security and social media personnel who worked on his online content in the year before he was elected. This period is subject to parliamentary rules on the declaration of benefits.

Cottrell's past includes a significant legal issue in the US. In 2016, he was arrested as he and Farage were preparing to leave the US after Farage had spoken at a rally supporting Donald Trump. Cottrell was involved in an FBI sting operation where he agreed to launder money for undercover agents posing as drug traffickers. He initially faced up to 20 years in prison for charges including money laundering and fraud.

However, Cottrell brokered a plea deal, admitting guilt to wire fraud. He claimed in his plea bargain that he had falsely represented his ability to launder criminal proceeds for a fee, and that he and an associate had planned to keep the money themselves rather than launder it. He ultimately served eight months in prison.

Following his release, Cottrell returned to the UK and later reportedly moved to Montenegro. There, he is said to have become involved with Tether.bet, an online betting platform that facilitates transactions using cryptocurrency. His past association with Farage was highlighted again when he was seen with him during the campaign for the Clacton seat, including an incident where a milkshake was thrown at Farage.

The precise nature and value of the support provided by Cottrell remain a point of contention, with Reform UK maintaining that parliamentary rules were not breached. The focus now is on whether the alleged benefits meet the threshold for declaration under parliamentary standards.