Christopher Harborne, the mysterious billionaire bankrolling Reform UK, owns a wellness retreat on the Thai island of Koh Samui. Known locally as Chakrit Sakunkrit, he naturalised in Thailand in 2011 and runs the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary, where he hosts talks on micronutrients and Tibetan bells.
Harborne has donated over £22 million to Nigel Farage's party since 2017, accounting for two-thirds of all funding received by Reform UK. In August, he gave £9 million, the largest single donation from a living donor in British political history, followed by another £3 million in November.
Farage has defended the donations, saying Harborne wants nothing in return and simply believes Britain has not made the most of Brexit or embraced 21st-century technologies. Harborne's wealth comes from early investments in cryptocurrency, and he is a part-owner of Tether, the company behind the world's most traded stablecoin.
Tether has been criticised for its use by criminals and sanctions-busters, but Farage has championed the company, calling for London to become a global crypto trading hub. He has also criticised the Bank of England's proposed cap on stablecoin ownership, saying it could drive businesses abroad.
