PANICKING billionaire Roman Abramovich last night put Chelsea up for sale as Government sanctions threatened his fortune.
The Russian oligarch, 55, promised to give any profits from an expected £3billion deal to the victims of the Ukraine war — but he refused to condemn the actions of tyrant crony Vladimir Putin.
He also failed to specify whether the money would go to besieged Ukrainians or Russian participants.
Labour MP Chris Bryant said of the Chelsea move: “It looks like a fire sale.”
The oligarch, 55, who bought the West London club 19 years ago, told supporters selling was “an incredibly difficult decision”.
But a heavily spun 278-word statement made no mention of his country’s brutal invasion, merely referring to “the current situation”.
And it failed to condemn the actions of warmonger crony President Vladimir Putin.
The sale move came after Boris Johnson was hammered in the Commons for failing to sanction Abramovich and seize his assets — despite him being a person of interest to the security services because of his links to Putin.
The Sun revealed last week that Abramovich had effectively been barred from living in Britain again — with UK border agencies tasked with stopping him.
Last night experts said Abramovich’s actions smacked of him ditching his UK assets before they became worthless if sanctions bit.
Labour MP Chris Bryant slammed the Government for letting Putin’s cronies off the hook.
He said of Abramovich: “It looks like he is engaged in a fire sale — which is another form of money laundering, frankly.
“Britain is in a race against time here, the clock is ticking in Ukraine and clock is ticking back home.
“We do not have a sanctions regime at all.
“We seem to be telling oligarchs, ‘If you would like to leave and take all your money, go ahead’.”
HIS STATEMENT LAST NIGHT
IN the current situation, I have taken the decision to sell the Club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club’s sponsors.
The sale will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion.
I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated . . . for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as the long-term work of recovery.
Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the Club in this manner.
I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person.
It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea and I am proud of all our joint achievements.
Chelsea and its supporters will always be in my heart.
Thank you,
Roman
WHAT HE DIDN’T SAY
- NO mention of Vladimir Putin, let alone a condemnation. Perhaps he fears the fate of other oligarchs who crossed Putin.
- NO criticism of Russia’s invasion. He didn’t call it an invasion.
- NO specifying whether funding for the victims go to Ukrainians, or could it be restricted in practice to, for example, injured Russian soldiers or Russian-backing separatists?
- NO mention of who monitors foundation’s use of cash.
- NO clarification of how he and accountants define net proceeds, given the billions in loans and investments he is writing off.
- NO addressing of his situation regarding sanctions threat.
Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, added: “It’s pretty shocking Mr Abramovich still cannot bring himself to criticise the first leader to invade another European state in 80 years. Clearly he is still afraid.”
Ex-Tory Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick hit out: “All those associated with the Putin regime need to directly and categorically condemn his actions and call for the war to end immediately.”
Abramovich’s shock statement said the sale would not “be fast-tracked” and promised to follow “due process”.
He said he would not be asking for loans to be repaid and that it “pains” him to part with the club.
Less than an hour later, Chelsea’s away fans sang their owner’s name as they gathered at Luton Town for a fifth-round FA Cup tie.
Luton’s fans taunted: “You’re getting sold in the morning!”
Spectators held blue and yellow flags in support of Ukraine. Abramovich has been under pressure as other Kremlin-linked oligarchs have been hit by sanctions in the EU, US and UK.
Despite avoiding scrutiny so far, reports emerged of him frantically trying to sell his London mansions as the threat of sanctions loomed.
Buyers lining up to bid for Chelsea claimed Abramovich was desperate to ditch his UK assets.
Swiss tycoon Hansjorg Wyss, 86, said agents acting for Abramovich had contacted him.
He told Swiss newspaper Blick: “Abramovich is trying to sell all his villas in England, he also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly. I and three other people received an offer on Tuesday to buy Chelsea.”
Abramovich has denied being a crony of Putin. But his close links to the Kremlin, as one of Russia’s richest men, are rarely disputed.
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He made a fortune in oil and gas in the 1990s, and became a governor in Siberia.
Then in 2003 he bought Chelsea in a deal revealed by The Sun with the headline “Chelski”. Since then the club have won five Premier League titles, two Champions League crowns, two Europa Leagues and five FA Cups.
Yesterday Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said of Abramovich: “Why on earth is he not facing sanctions?” Boris Johnson vowed to publish a hit list of oligarchs.
COMPUTER games giant EA Sports is removing the Russian national team and the country’s football clubs from Fifa 2022 in solidarity with Ukrainian people.
THE ABRAMOVICH FILE
NAME: Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich. AGE: 55. WEALTH: £10.7billion.
CAREER: Became pals with former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin and bought up state assets on the cheap after the collapse of Communism.
Abramovich helped Vladimir Putin interview his first cabinet members in 1999, then became a state governor under Putin’s rule. His companies bought Chelsea FC in 2003. He sold a 73 per cent stake in Russian oil firm Sibneft to state-owned gas titan Gazprom for £9.2billion in 2005. The dad of seven also owns stakes in steel giant Evraz and Norilsk Nickel.
KEY UK ASSETS: Chelsea FC, a £150million Kensington mansion and a £22million penthouse.
TOYS: £430million yacht Solaris and £540million Eclipse; £50million Gulfstream jet; £264million Boeing; two helicopters worth £9million; £1.5million Bugatti and £1.6million Ferrari.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
