Roman Abramovich has accused the government of Jersey of carrying out a “conspiracy” against him, escalating a long-running and previously secret legal battle over the origins of his wealth.
The former Chelsea owner removed his request for a gagging order after alleging that Jersey officials mishandled a criminal investigation opened in 2022. The move has allowed new details of the case to become public, including material gathered from Swiss banks and internal government messages.
Jersey authorities began looking into possible corruption and money laundering linked to Abramovich shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. In the same period, the island froze more than $7 billion in assets suspected of being tied to him. According to Swiss court rulings, investigators in Jersey have been examining how Abramovich built his fortune during Russia’s rapid shift to capitalism in the 1990s and early 2000s.
A spokesperson for Abramovich told Reuters that no charges had been brought in more than three years and claimed that the investigation has shown no progress. The spokesperson also said the oligarch had been allowed to introduce conspiracy claims against the Jersey government earlier this year.
The Independent reported that Jersey officials are now required to release emails, messages and documents related to the case. A recent judgment from David Michael Cadin, a master of the royal court, criticised the government’s handling of the requests, calling the delays “extreme” and ordering the authorities to cover Abramovich’s legal costs.
Abramovich’s lawyers have denied all allegations, saying any claim that he was involved in criminal activity is false. Jersey’s Law Officers’ Department said it could not comment, and Abramovich did not respond to the Guardian’s requests for a statement.
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