The UK Government has confirmed it is preparing to sue former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich after he failed to meet a deadline to release the £ 2.5billion he pocketed from selling the west London football club.
The Russian businessman, who was forced to sell the club following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, was given 90 days to transfer the frozen funds to a foundation to provide aid to the war-struck nation.
Sir Keir Starmer issued a direct warning to Mr Abramovich in December last year, giving him a strict deadline.
The Russian is understood to have failed to meet the demands of the UK Government.
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A Government spokesman 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's counsel maintains there exists "no legal basis" for the Government's threats regarding the frozen funds.
The UK Government has confirmed it is preparing to sue former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich
|GETTY
In a letter, the Russian's lawyers said: "It is important to emphasise that the funds, although currently frozen, remain the property of Fordstam Limited, which is wholly owned by Mr Abramovich."
The correspondence launches a scathing attack on what it describes as "politically charged and highly publicised statements made by the UK Government".
Mr Abramovich's lawyers also argued that this confrontational approach reflects a pattern of mishandling that has lasted nearly four years.
The letter added: "Unfortunately, this approach is consistent with the manner in which the UK Government has handled this matter since the sale of Chelsea FC in 2022 across the tenure of four prime ministers and five foreign secretaries."
Roman Abramovich was a popular owner during his time at Chelsea | PAThe legal team accuses ministers of acting without proper authority, claiming the Government "has now chosen to threaten litigation and to issue a licence unilaterally, without having a legal basis for doing so".
The impasse dates back to April 2022, when the Royal Court of Jersey imposed a freezing order on $5.25billion worth of Mr Abramovich's assets, just weeks after he pledged to donate the proceeds from Chelsea.
The Government insists that money must be spent exclusively within Ukraine to prevent it from reaching Russia.
Mr Abramovich, however, backed by organisations including Save the Children, argues the conflict has created humanitarian crises extending beyond Ukrainian borders.
The £2.35billion in proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC remain sat in a UK bank account | GETTYMr Abramovich bought Chelsea Football Club in 2003 and pumped billions into the club.
During his time at the club, he won several trophies, including multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League.
However, Mr Abramovich has been accused of being an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Under Boris Johnson's Government, Mr Abramovich was sanctioned due to his links to the Russian leader when Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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