Scoop: Bitfinex, Tether shareholder Harborne is Nigel Farage’s top donor

Bitfinex and Tether shareholder Christopher Harborne — or Chakrit Sakunkrit when he’s in Thailand — has become the number one donor to Reform UK leader and MP for Clacton Nigel Farage.

Harborne, who also owns and operates an aviation fuel business, was previously outed as the number one donor to the Brexit Party and also donated £1,500,000 to the Conservative Party in 2022.

According to the UK Electoral Commission, Harborne’s most recent donation to Farage was a trip worth £27,616 so that he could “attend the second inauguration of Donald Trump.”

The gift makes him the number one Farage donor for 2025, with only George Cottrell (a convicted felon) donating a trip anywhere close in value.

Last year, Harborne gifted £32,000 to Farage for him to visit Trump after the latter was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania.

In total, Harborne has donated almost £60,000 to Farage over the past year.

Harborne doesn’t want attention

Last year the crypto-millionaire brought a lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal for defamation in the state of Delaware.

The case, which had a motion to dismiss denied, was on track to be presented before a jury this year, but the two parties have requested a temporary stay of the case since April.

It’s unclear if The Wall Street Journal and Harborne are attempting to come to a settlement or are agreeing to a stay for other purposes.

Harborne has stayed quiet and out of politics for several years, last spending over £1,500,000 to support the Tories in 2022.