Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) warned that billionaire influence in politics is spreading internationally, pointing to $97 million in donations to the U.K. Reform Party from cryptocurrency billionaires. Citing a Wall Street Journal report, Sanders said Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne made the largest political donations in British history to support Nigel Farage’s party ahead of the 2029 general elections. The source separately says both donated roughly $48.7 billion, creating a discrepancy with the $97 million figure. Harborne, an early investor in Bitcoin and Ethereum, is also the subject of scrutiny over a private $6.65 million gift to Farage in early 2024; Farage denies wrongdoing. Delo co-founded BitMEX and, with Arthur Hayes and Samuel Reed, pleaded guilty in 2022 to violating the Bank Secrecy Act. President Donald Trump pardoned the three in March 2025. Sanders has long criticized large political donations as legalized bribery and supports overturning the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling and moving elections to public funding. Fairshake, a cryptocurrency-focused super PAC (political action committee), had contributed $88 million as of July 31.