Britain threatens former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with indictment

Abramovich was sanctioned by Britain after the launch of Ukraine's Russian invasion in 2022, which led to a quick sale of the club and the freezing of all of its revenue.

Britain insists that these funds be used only for humanitarian aid within Ukraine, in line with Europe's broader efforts for Russia to pay for the damage caused by its aggression.

Abramovich, on the other hand, requires more flexibility and wants funds to go to all victims of the conflict, not just those in Ukraine.

In a rare joint statement, British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves and Foreign Minister David Lammy said on Tuesday that the government is willing to take legal steps to ensure that the money is used according to the stated goal.

The government is determined that revenues from the sale of the Chelsea football club will end in the humanitarian cause in Ukraine, following the illegal occupation and full size from Russia. We are deeply disappointed that an agreement has not yet been reached with Mr. Abramovich”, they said.

They added that the door to negotiations remains open, but that they are “fully prepared to follow the case to court if it is necessary”.

Abramovich's lawyer in Britain did not immediately respond to the requests for comment.

Reuters reported in March that the British government was considering the legal action company on the issue.

Chelsea, under Abramovich's possession, experienced the most successful period in his history before being sold in May 2022, a consortium led by US investor Todd Boyle and private capital firm Clearlak Capital.

Revenues from the sale are currently frozen in a bank account in Britain and cannot be used without a separate permission from the Financial Sanctions Implementation Office, which operates under the Finance Ministry.