Roman Abramovich hires top lawyers to prevent £2.5bn Chelsea sale going to Ukraine

Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire and former Chelsea Football Club owner, has assembled a “top tier” legal team, including a former White House advisor, as he prepares for a legal battle in Jersey.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged Abramovich to “pay up now” and release roughly £2.5 billion from the Chelsea sale for Ukraine aid, threatening legal action could follow if he does not comply.

The dispute could determine whether billions of pounds will help aid for victims of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The legal battle centres on more than £5.3 billion of Abramovich’s assets that have been frozen on the island of Jersey. These assets originate from offshore structures and trusts linked to the oligarch, parts of which include proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC - funds Abramovich publicly pledged to a charitable foundation for Ukraine.

Abramovich's case reflects wider questions about how oligarch fortunes are structures and protected.

An investigative documentary by AnewZ, The Oligarch's Design, explores how offshore financial systems have allowed politically connected elites linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, to move, shield and retain control over vast sums of money deemed to be used in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Jersey government, acting under sanctions tied to the UK and EU have frozen Abramovich’s assets as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

Part of the dispute involves the holding structures of the funds and whether Jersey acted lawfully in its proceedings.

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