Source:REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, the £2.4 billion proceeds from Roman Abramovich’s sale of Chelsea have been frozen, as the authorities in Jersey are investigating whether the funds constitute criminal proceeds, further hindering the process of using the money to aid Ukraine. Abramovich has previously denied that his wealth was obtained through improper conduct and that he maintains close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the UK government and Jersey authorities imposed sanctions on Abramovich on the grounds of targeting oligarchs, forcing him to sell Chelsea. Yet an agreement has still not been reached with the UK government on the proportion of the sale proceeds to be used for Ukrainian aid and the method of delivery. According to Jersey’s Law Officers’ Department, the Attorney General of Jersey launched a money laundering investigation in April 2022 to determine whether certain assets allegedly linked to Abramovich are derived from criminal activity.
The editor believes that the two sides are currently in dispute over two issues. First, Abramovich has insisted that he should decide the destination and distribution of the funds, while the British government only intends to provide the money to Ukraine and ensure that none of it goes to Russia. In addition, the British government wants the £2.5 billion proceeds from the sale of Chelsea to be fully used for aid to Ukraine, but Abramovich’s side has objected to this.