Lawyers for Russian businessman Roman Abramovich have warned the British government that they will challenge any attempt to seize the £2,5 billion from the sale of Chelsea football club, claiming that the funds remain the property of their client.
Roman Abramovich was forced to sell the London club in 2022 after being sanctioned by the UK as part of measures taken against Russian oligarchs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Nearly four years later, the funds from this transaction remain frozen in a UK bank account due to a dispute over their use. The British government wants this money allocated to humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
Abramovich's lawyers, from the firm Kobre & Kim, however, maintain that the funds remain "entirely the property" of their client and accuse the British authorities of making "political and media-driven" statements on this matter.
According to the defense, Roman Abramovich remains committed to using the money for charitable purposes. However, the lawyers believe that restrictions imposed by the British government on how the funds can be used are the cause of the current impasse.
London warned last year that the funds would have to be released, otherwise legal action could be taken. The dispute underscores the ongoing tensions between British authorities and the Russian oligarch since the imposition of sanctions related to the war in Ukraine.
