The chairman of the Brexit Party squirmed on live radio today as he repeatedly failed to say if the campaign is taking foreign cash.
Richard Tice was asked three times if more than £2.5million in small donations to Nigel Farage's campaign include foreign money.
MPs to probe 'dark money' after Brexit Party 'fake members' loophole revealed after Nigel Farage's Brexit Party lets 'Vladimir Putin' sign up as a supporter Brexit Party donors can give up to £500 through Paypal without safeguards to check they are eligible to donate in the UK.
Yet Mr Tice refused to give a straight answer - instead calling the accusations "ridiculous" and accusing his critics of being "jealous".
Eventually Mr Tice conceded he didn't know if some of the cash pouring through the party's Paypal account is in foreign currency.
He insisted "as I understand that's not illegal" before saying: "I don’t sit in front of the Paypal account all day so I don’t know what currencies people are paying in."
It came as Gordon Brown today warned crowdfunding could be "a cover for dirty money" in a damning alert by the former PM.
Scroll down for full transcript of the interview.
Nigel Farage's Brexit Party lets 'Vladimir Putin' sign up as a supporter
Mr Brown was due to say: "Nigel Farage says this election is about democracy.
"Democracy is fatally undermined if unexplained, unreported and thus undeclared and perhaps under the counter and underhand campaign finance – from whom and from where we do not know – is being used to influence the very elections that are at the heart of our democratic system."
Nigel Farage's firm pocketed nearly £500,000 in two years
Political parties can only accept donations of more than £500 from UK registered voters or organisations.
But a loophole in the law means payments under £500 aren’t considered “donations”, and so could come from anyone, anywhere in the world.
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage has boasted 100,000 people signed up as £25-a-year supporters of his party.
Unlike most other political parties, the Brexit Party’s website has no safeguards to ensure supporters are eligible to donate to political parties in the UK.
Farage aide jailed for dark web money laundering 'raises funds for Brexit Party'
It means Farage’s party could have received up to £2.5 million in unregistered donations, and nobody would be able to find out where they came from.
And a Mirror investigation found that it was possible to sign up as a Brexit Party supporter under the name of Vladimir Putin, giving the address of the Kremlin.
Yet Mr Tice today said questions about the Brexit Party's funding model were "completely ridiculous".
Of taking funds under £500 without full checks, he insisted: "As I understand that's not illegal.
"The reality is of course we apply appropriate Electoral Commission law and the truth is hundreds of thousands of people are wanting to support us.
"They back what we're trying to do and what we achieve and they know we're the only party now who can be trusted with democracy and trusted to deliver a proper Brexit."
He added: "This is just jealous Westminster people who are aghast at how we can capture the mood of the country."
Brexit: Theresa May begs hostile MPs to BACK deal - and get a second referendum
It comes amid a string of stories about funding involving people linked to Mr Farage or the Brexit Party.
Yesterday it was reported George Cottrell, a former aide to Nigel Farage who was jailed in the US for money-laundering, Farage aide jailed for dark web money laundering 'raises funds for Brexit Party'
And Channel 4 News claimed last week that Brexit-backing millionaire Arron Banks bankrolled Nigel Farage's personal activities after the EU referendum to the tune of £450,000.
Mr Farage said this weekend the funding from Mr Banks was "a purely private matter" and asked if he declared it to the EU Parliament - where he is an MEP - he said "of course not".
He said: "I was leaving politics, it happened mostly in America, had nothing to do with politics, nothing to do with the Brexit Party, it was purely on a personal basis.
"I was looking for a new career and a new life. It's got nothing to do with anything.
"It was me, in America, seeking a new media career."
MPs to probe 'dark money' after Brexit Party 'fake members' loophole revealed
Full transcript of Brexit Party chairman's interview
BBC Radio 4's Today programme: Gordon Brown says the Brexit Party has what he calls unexplained, unreported and thus undeclared sources of campaign finance, which could be under the counter and underhand.
Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice: Honestly, this really is utterly ridiculous -
BBC: The reason he's saying it is your funding model does allow people to give money in foreign currencies doesn't it?
RT: Look, this is completely ridiculous. The reality is that we're the fastest growing political movement. We've got over 100,000 supporters who've paid at least £25. We've had two investigative journalists come and look at it. The reality is people are just jealous of our success, and the fact we're on course to win -
BBC: Do you take money in foreign currencies?
RT: We've got a Paypal account for people who are paying less than £500. Above that obviously we apply the appropriate Electoral Commission rules.
BBC: Do you take donations in foreign currencies?
RT: Well, that, as I understand that's not illegal. The reality is of course we apply appropriate Electoral Commission law and the truth is hundreds of thousands of people are wanting to support us. They back what we're trying to do and what we achieve and they know we're the only party now who can be trusted with democracy and trusted to deliver a proper Brexit.
BBC: I think you've just confirmed that you do take money because you think it's not illegal - and it's isn't illegal - you do take money in foreign currencies from people who may be foreign citizens.
RT: Well, I don’t sit in front of the Paypal account all day so I don’t know what currencies people are paying in. But as I understand the Paypal account takes it in Sterling. But the reality is that -
BBC: Shall I just tell you why people ask you these questions and think they're relevant, Mr Tice? You used to work for Leave.EU, you helped found it. It was fined by the Electoral Commission for breaking campaign finance laws, exceeding spending limits and not explaining where it got its money from. Nigel Farage last week denied and then admitted that he'd taken £450,000 from Arron Banks who's under investigation. And there's a man in America who claims to be representing the Brexit Party who as you know has been charged with money laundering. So there are good reasons to ask about the financing of your party, Mr Tice, arent; there?
RT: The simple answer is we are a grassroots funded movement, over 100,000 people have paid at least £25 in on Paypal. We've had journalists in to look. If you want to send someone from the BBC, frankly come and do so. This is just jealous Westminster people who are aghast at how we can capture the mood of the country.
