Roman Abramovich faces calls to be stripped of his right to own a football club today after bomb documents linked him to Vladimir Putin“Regime and” public association with corrupt activities and practices “.
Chelsea’s billionaire owner has faced a renewed focus on his business activities in recent days as Russia prepared and then launched a total attack against Ukraine.
And today Labor MP Chris Bryant used parliamentary privilege to share an expired document from the City Department of the Interior.
He said the document was from 2019 and asked why no action had yet been taken against the 55-year-old man based on his warnings.
As business issues this morning, Ronda MP and former minister said: “I received an expired 2019 document from the Interior Ministry, which says in connection with Mr. Abramovich -” As part of HMG’s strategy for Russia aimed at illegal finance and malignancy, Abramovich continues to be of interest to HMG due to his ties to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activities and practices.
“An example of this is Abramovich’s admission in court proceedings that he paid for political influence.
“Therefore, HMG is focused on ensuring that those involved in illicit finance and malicious activity cannot be based in the United Kingdom and will use the appropriate tools at its disposal, including immigration powers, to prevent this.”
“It was almost three years ago, and still a remarkable thing has been done about it. Surely Mr. Abramovich should no longer be able to own a football club in this country? Surely we should seek the confiscation of some of his assets, including his home for £ 152 million? And make sure that other people who have had Tier 1 visas like this do not engage in malicious activity?
In 2011, the Supreme Court heard that Mr Abramovich had used the well-connected oligarch Boris Berezovsky as his “political godfather” to help him do business in a country where the police were “corrupt” and the courts “open to manipulation”. “,
The court heard that the owner of Chelsea believes that it is his “moral obligation” to give Berezovsky 1.3 billion pounds to finance his extravagant lifestyle.
The Chelsea owner gave the money to his ex-boyfriend because he believed it was part of a “code of honor” that replaced the rule of law in Russia after the fall of communism.
Today’s development came after reports showed that Mr Abramovich was effectively barred from living in Britain again.
Chelsea’s billionaire owner has faced a renewed focus on business in recent days as Russia prepares and then launches a full-scale attack on Ukraine.
Abramovich (pictured above with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2016) is reportedly barred from living in Britain again.
Labor MP Chris Bryant told the Commons: “Surely Mr Abramovich should no longer be able to own a football club in this country?”
The billionaire has not been seen by him Premier League southwest of the football club London home, Stamford Bridge, for months.
He withdrew his application for a British level 1 investor visa in 2018 after announcing a delay in his application following criticism of Russian oligarchs following the Salisbury poisonings.
According to The Sun, senior security sources now say it is unlikely the 55-year-old will be allowed to live in Britain again.
Downing Street will not be attracted by the allegations about Roman Abramovich made in the Municipality.
A spokesman for the prime minister said: “I could not comment on persons or leaked documents of this type in this way.”
He added that Mr Johnson “will present a significant package of sanctions later today”.
Responding to Mr Bryant, Mayor Mark Spencer said: “He will know that the sanctions passed by the House this week allow the government to take very tough action against high-ranking Russian officials of concern.
“He will know that the Minister of the Interior will be in this box next Monday for questions to the Ministry of the Interior, and I am sure he will be able to call it directly.”
Immigration officials have reportedly been instructed to make it impossible for Mr Abramovich – who owns a £ 125 million mansion near Kensington Palace – to be based in the UK.
In addition to his huge real estate portfolio, he owns a series of superyachts, including a £ 450 million Solaris (pictured) that has a missile detection system.
Mr. Abramovich has been married three times, the last to Dasha Zhukova magazine editor between 2008 and 2017, and has seven children.
Most recently, he was romantically linked to ballerina Diana Vishneva (portrayed on stage as Juliet in Romeo Ballet and Juliet Kirov in the Colosseum).
It is alleged that his case is being processed by the Special Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Interior.
This comes after Mr Abramovich was identified by lawmakers on Tuesday as one of 35 oligarchs identified by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as one of the “key activists” of the “kleptocracy” ruled by President Vladimir Putin. .
He categorically denies that he is close to the Kremlin or has done anything that would deserve sanctions against him – as Britain has sought to impose sanctions on Russia amid growing tensions with Ukraine.
In 2018, Mr. Abramovich became an Israeli citizen, which allowed him to enter the UK for up to six months. He used his Israeli passport last October to make a short trip to London.
However, a senior source told The Sun that any attempt by the oligarch to apply for a permanent visa “will almost certainly be rejected”.
Mr Abramovich has an estimated fortune of £ 8.4 billion.
In addition to its huge real estate portfolio, it owns a series of superyachts, including the £ 450 million Solaris, which has a missile detection system.
Mr Abramovich never had British citizenship and made his money by selling assets bought from the state when the Soviet Union collapsed.
The billionaire has reportedly not been seen at the home of his Premier League football club in south-west London, Stamford Bridge, for months. Above: The oligarch celebrates the World Club Cup he won in Abu Dhabi earlier this month
He arrived at Chelsea in 2003 and turned a team of outside rivals into a giant in the Premier League with the help of Jose Mourinho.
Most of Abramovich’s wealth in the United Kingdom is in Evraz, a steel and mining giant listed on the London stock market.
On Tuesday, Liberal Democrat MP Leyla Moran read a list of Abramovich’s name along with other oligarchs, including Arsenal investor Alisher Usmanov.
Foreign Minister Liz Truss declined to say whether Mr Abramovich would be subject to sanctions, but suggested others would be imposed.
“We have a long list of accomplices in the actions of the Russian leadership,” she said.
“If Russia refuses to withdraw its troops, we can continue to increase the heat by targeting more banks, elites and major companies.
“It’s about hurting Putin and degrading Russia’s economic system over time, targeting people close to Putin. What we need to do is make it as painful as possible.
Yesterday, Mr Johnson held talks with senior City officials on ways to tighten the screws on Russian business and Kremlin-linked individuals.
The prime minister told the House of Commons that the government was “proposing” the next wave of sanctions that “will stop all Russian banks, all oligarchs, all Russian individuals from raising money in London markets.”
The 54-year-old Russian billionaire reportedly boasts a British real estate empire that includes a 15-bedroom mansion in Kensington Palace Gardens (pictured), which is now estimated to cost £ 125 million.
Ministers are also drawing up plans to suspend Kremlin loans in the UK’s financial markets.
Tory MP Bob Seeley said the “rush of dirty money” entering the UK from Russia was “harming” the country.
Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was time to end the “era of impunity for the oligarchs” and ensure that “this country will no longer be home to their prey”.
Mr Johnson acknowledged that many were looking forward to moving faster, but said it was vital that this be done on a coordinated international basis.
“With all these measures, it is very important to remember that they are more effective when all the financial centers are moving forward together, and that is what the United Kingdom is organizing,” he said.
– We can continue to increase the heat.