Abramovich Accuses Jersey Government of “Conspiracy” Amid Wealth Probe

Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has accused the government of Jersey of “conspiracy” after the island opened a criminal investigation into alleged corruption and money laundering linked to the origins of his wealth.

The dispute centres on a long-running, largely secret legal battle that surfaced in September, when a Swiss court ordered the release of banking records requested by Jersey’s attorney general. Abramovich had previously sought to keep the case private but dropped his opposition after alleging the island’s authorities mishandled the 2022 investigation.

A spokesperson for Abramovich told Reuters that no charges have been filed in more than three years and claimed the investigation has made “no progress”. Abramovich has now been allowed to bring conspiracy claims against Jersey’s government.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Jersey froze more than $7bn of assets linked to the Russian billionaire and named him as a suspect. Abramovich then won a court order forcing senior Jersey officials to turn over private messages and documents connected to the case.

According to the Independent, a recent judgment criticised Jersey officials for “extreme” delays in providing data requested by Abramovich’s lawyers and ordered the government to cover his legal costs.

Jersey authorities are examining the origins of Abramovich’s fortune, built during Russia’s turbulent privatisation era. He denies all allegations of wrongdoing.

Jersey officials declined to comment on the investigation but insisted they “categorically reject” claims of conspiracy or bad faith and will defend their position in court.