George Cottrell

Cottrell was born in London, England, to an aristocratic family. His father, Mark Cottrell, a businessman and landowner from Gloucestershire, attended Gordonstoun School with Prince Andrew, Duke of York.{{Cite web | url=https://bylinetimes.com/2024/06/06/who-is-posh-george-meet-the-aristocrat-and-convicted-fraudster-advising-nigel-farage/| title=Who is 'Posh George'? Meet the Aristocrat and Convicted Fraudster Close to Nigel Farage| newspaper=Byline Times| date= 2024-06-06| accessdate=2025-04-15}} George Cottrell's mother, The Honourable Fiona Watson, a daughter of Rupert Watson, 3rd Baron Manton (d.2003), is a former glamour model and girlfriend of Charles III when he was Prince of Wales.{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Christopher |title=Prince Charles and his relationships |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-charles/10436036/Prince-Charles-and-his-relationships.html |date=10 November 2013}} On 12 September 2024 it was reported that Fiona Watson had donated £750,000 to Reform UK.{{cite web |last1=Mason |first1=Rowena |last2=Whitehall |first2=Rowena Mason |title=Mother of Farage aide George Cottrell revealed as Reform UK’s biggest donor |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jun/10/fiona-cottrell-mother-of-nigel-farage-aide-reform-uk-donors |website=The Guardian |date=10 June 2025}}{{Cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Rowena |last2=Mason |date=2024-09-12 |title=Mother of Nigel Farage's aide George Cottrell gives £500,000 to Reform |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/sep/12/reform-donor-fiona-cottrell-nigel-farage-aide-george-mother |access-date=2024-09-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Cottrell's maternal uncle Alexander Fermor-Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh, a former hereditary peer, was the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords.

Cottrell was raised and educated on the private island of Mustique, before attending Malvern College, from which he was expelled for illegal gambling.{{cite web |last1=Cash |first1=William |title=Nigel Farage's fixer and convicted fraudster, George Cottrell, on how he survived US prison |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/nigel-farages-fixer-convicted-fraudster-george-cottrell-prison/ |website=The Telegraph |date=14 July 2017}}

Cottrell was reported to be a high-stakes poker player, once losing $20 million in one night.{{cite web |title=All In! Financier Loses $20m In Night Of Poker Pain |url=https://businessplus.ie/news/poker-financier-george-cottrell/ |website=Business Plus |date=20 May 2024}}

Cottrell was listed as a director in a number of businesses from a young age, both in the UK and overseas. Starting in 2013, Cottrell assumed a number of roles at banks, including Credit Suisse, JP Morgan, and Banca Privada d'Andorra (BPA). Following the 2015 UK general election, Cottrell was appointed deputy treasurer of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP).

While head of fundraising for UKIP, Cottrell became the chief of staff to Nigel Farage, who was then UKIP leader.{{cite web |title=Nigel Farage aide sentenced to eight months in prison |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/nigel-farage-ukip-george-cottrell-wire-fraud-sentenced-guilty-dark-web-money-laundering-a7606686.html |website=The Independent |date=1 March 2017}}

In May 2019, Cottrell was reportedly serving as a fundraiser for the Brexit Party.{{cite web |title=Brexit Party fundraiser is 'Posh George', once jailed in US after money-laundering sting |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brexit-party-fundraiser-is-posh-george-once-jailed-in-us-after-money-laundering-sting-gzcdcj23l?region=global |website=The Times |date=19 May 2019}}

In 2025 press reported Cottrell had launched a political consultancy, Geostrategy International Unlimited, as an unlimited company.{{Citation | url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/george-cottrell-nigel-farage-reform-geostrategy-international-unlimited-company-donations/| title=Firm set up by Farage's aristo-fraudster ally is 'red flag'| accessdate=2025-05-09}}

On 22 July 2016, while attending the Republican National Convention with Farage, Cottrell was arrested by IRS Criminal Investigation special agents at Chicago O'Hare International. Cottrell was federally indicted on 21 counts for conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, blackmail, and extortion. Denied bail by a judge who branded Cottrell a "serious flight risk," he was detained in custody at Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago.{{cite web |title=U.K. right-wing party adviser George Cottrell, jailed in Phoenix, admits targeting IRS agents in 'dark web' scam |url=https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2016/12/21/uk-right-wing-party-adviser-george-cottrell-jailed-phoenix-admits-targeting-irs-agents-dark-web-scam/95667900/ |website=azcentral |language=en}}

Cottrell's indictment states how in 2014, he met with undercover federal agents in Las Vegas, where he conspired to launder millions of dollars' worth of drug money using offshore bank accounts. However, following a plea agreement in December 2016, prosecutors agreed to dismiss 20 counts in return for a guilty plea to a single count of wire fraud in which Cottrell admitted to explaining various ways criminal proceeds could be laundered.

In March 2017, Cottrell was sentenced and released by Judge Diane Humetewa, having served eight months in prison.{{cite web |last1=Kirchgaessner |first1=Stephanie |title=Former Farage aide gave US information in plea deal, court files show |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/07/former-nigel-farage-aide-us-information-plea-deal-court-files-george-cottrell |website=The Guardian |language=en |date=7 June 2017}}

In February 2025 the Guardian newspaper stated: "Tatler reported earlier this year that Cottrell sometimes referred to Farage as 'Daddy' and that the Reform leader was 'often there, making coffee' at Cottrell's west London house."{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/15/reform-uk-inside-story-of-nigel-farage-quest-for-power|title='Guess who's back?': the inside story of Nigel Farage's quest for power|date=15 February 2025|website=The Guardian|language=en}} The Guardian has previously quoted Nigel Farage describing Cottrell as "like a son" to him, with Cottrell present at many campaign trail events during the 2024 general election as part of his unpaid role with Reform.{{cite web |last1=Sinmaz |first1=Emine |last2=Sabbagh |first2=Dan |last3=Mason |first3=Rowena |title=‘Like a son to me’: George Cottrell, the high-rolling convicted fraudster at Nigel Farage’s side |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/03/george-cottrell-nigel-farage-reform-uk-montenegro |website=The Guardian |date=3 July 2024}}

During an interview with Tatler, as reported by The Guardian, Cottrell shared details of his art collection, with a collection that includes works by Banksy, Canaletto, and George Stubbs.

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Category:1993 births

Category:Living people

Category:English money launderers

Category:People educated at Malvern College

Category:UK Independence Party people

Category:Political fundraisers

Category:British bankers

Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government

Category:English male criminals

Category:Nigel Farage

Category:People educated at Gordonstoun