Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich could soon be the subject of legal action from the UK government as they bid to ensure the £2.5bn raised from the sale of the club benefits the people of Ukraine
Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich looks on from the stands during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on April 16, 2016.
Roman Abramovich could be sued by the UK government(Image: Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
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The UK Government have warned former Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, that he could be subjected to legal action after failing to release £2.5billion from the sale of the club to aid Ukraine.
Abramovich, 59, was forced to sell Chelsea in 2022 after being sanctioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine after the government targeted oligarchs. Despite being sanctioned, he was granted a license to sell the club to a consortium, which included Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, on the basis that the money was given to victims of the Ukraine war.
However, there has since been a deadlock over how and where the money should be used, while accounts published last week by Fordstam - Abramovich's company - showed they only "intend" to give £987m to charity following the repayment of interest-free loans used to fund Chelsea rather than the full sum the club were sold for.
The deadline for Abramovich to release the funds passed earlier this week - and Sky report that the Russian's legal team have now been told that the UK government are preparing possible legal action.
A government spokesperson said: "We gave Roman Abramovich his last chance to do the right thing. Once again, he has failed to make the donation he committed to.
"We will now take further steps to ensure that the promise he made at the time of the Chelsea sale is kept."
Abramovich has insisted that the funds - which are frozen in a British bank account - should be used for "all victims of the war" - meaning Russians could potentially benefit from the cash.
Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich applauds, as players celebrate their league title win at the end of the Premier League football match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge in London on May 21, 2017. - Chelsea's extended victory parade reached a climax with the trophy presentation on May 21, 2017 after being crowned Premier League champions with two games to go
Abramovich sold Chelsea back in 2022(Image: Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Abramovich that legal action would be taken if he failed to pay up in 90 days after a license permitting the release of funds to a new foundation for humanitarian causes in Ukraine was granted back in December.
He said: "Honour the commitment that you made and pay up now, and if you don't we're prepared to go to court and ensure that every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin's illegal war."