It might only be a small paper sign, but the name it bears links to a mysterious figure whose fortune runs into the billions.
Nearly two dozen floors up an anonymous Bangkok tower, this is the registered address of Nigel Farage’s crypto backer Christopher Harborne. But the controversial tycoon is not here and neither are his staff when we visit – we are told “messengers” sometimes arrive to pick up mail. The only real clue of his presence is the sign, among a series of other firms on the wall, which says AML Global Ltd. Mr Harborne is, it seems, a man who does not want to be found.
The businessman, 63, has been at the centre of a row over an undeclared gift of £5million he handed to Reform UK’s leader. An elusive figure, the address at the tower is listed for Mr Harborne on a probate document for his late father as well as on UK Companies House. The building is in an upmarket area of the Thai capital, with the US embassy located nearby.
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Clients at the tower can opt for different options, including individual offices for a rate starting at just £3.42 a day per person. Meeting rooms are from £11.18 an hour, and day offices are from £52.26. By contrast, Mr Harborne’s wealth was estimated at £18.2billion in the Sunday Times Rich List.
Firms at the tower can even opt for so-called “virtual office plans” from £1.83 a day, with a website boasting: “Whether you’re a consultant, startup, or growing team, we give you the tools to present a polished, professional image – without the cost of a physical office. Choose the services you need, from a prime business address to call answering and global workspace access.”
We are told AML Global, a jet fuel business, does have a room at the tower – but we were not shown it. Another address used by Mr Harborne, on Thai shareholder business filings, is in another area of Bangkok. We visited the gated community, finding a property lined with potted plants.
But before we knocked on the door, a staff member stopped us. Shown a picture of Mr Harborne, the employee said he had not seen him. The address has been used by Mr Harborne – who also goes by the name Chakrit Sakunkrit – on Thai shareholder filings, including for Kamalaya, his luxury wellness retreat on the isle of Koh Samui.
Elsewhere in Bangkok, we tracked down a property which is the registered address for three of the billionaire’s firms – a tired apartment block which hardly looks befitting of a businessman of such vast wealth.
And yet, a trio of his companies are registered to an apartment at multi-storey building, where paint has peeled from its exterior. They are Chakrit Holdings, Bahati Properties Company Ltd and Praewpayome Company Ltd. We discovered a mother, who is said to work for Mr Harborne, and her son live at the property.
In the Rich List, published earlier this month, Mr Harborne was ranked sixth. The publication said: “Donations of £12million to the Reform Party propelled… Harborne into the headlines. Based in Thailand for more than two decades, his easiest UK asset to track is a £357m stake in QinetiQ. The stock market-listed firm was spun out of the Ministry of Defence.
“Harborne’s most valuable asset is a 12% holding in [cryptocurrency firm] Tether. Forbes values Tether at $200bn. We agree. That puts a price of £17.778bn on his stake.”
Mr Farage is being probed by the Parliamentary standards chief over whether he broke Commons rules by not declaring the £5m gift, which he says was to pay for his security. Reform UK said it was “a personal, unconditional gift” with no rules broken. Mr Harborne was contacted for comment.