Roman Abramovich assembles legal team in Jersey row as former Chelsea owner 'disregards' demands from Sir Keir Starmer

According to The Telegraph, among the senior figures now acting on Abramovich's behalf are Eric Herschmann, a former White House adviser to Donald Trump, and Lord Wolfson KC, the shadow attorney general in the House of Lords. They are joined by a former solicitor general of Jersey and a UK-based human rights specialist, with imminent legal claims for £2.5m in costs also being prepared. 

The stand-off intensified last week when UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly urged Abramovich to "pay up now", insisting that the proceeds of Chelsea’s sale should finally be deployed for humanitarian relief in Ukraine. That demand, however, has not altered Abramovich’s stance. His legal advisers argue that while the Jersey litigation is ongoing, the release of funds cannot be discussed. As a result, the £2.35bn earmarked for Ukraine remains locked in limbo more than three years after the invasion that triggered the sanctions regime.

The legal saga centres on Abramovich’s claim that Jersey authorities unlawfully handled data linked to investigations against him. He pursued court action after discovering that government records, including messages and emails referring to him, were missing or deleted. That effort led to a significant ruling in his favour. Advocate David Michael Cadin, master of the Royal Court, declared that the Government of Jersey had breached its obligations, finding that Abramovich’s data protection rights had been violated. Despite this, the broader asset freeze remains in place, and the impasse over the Chelsea funds continues.

Advocate David Michael Cadin, master of the Royal Court, wrote: "I have issued a declaration that the GOJ [Government of Jersey] defendants are in breach of their obligations."

The UK Government maintains that the Jersey proceedings should not prevent the Ukraine funds from being released. A licence has already been issued permitting the money to be spent on humanitarian causes and ministers insist Abramovich has no legal justification for delaying. 

Complicating matters, however, are financial records published by Fordstam, Abramovich’s UK-registered vehicle that received the Chelsea sale proceeds. Those accounts show an outstanding £1.5bn debt to Camberley International Investments, the Jersey-based parent company whose assets were frozen. Abramovich’s camp argues that until the Jersey freeze is resolved, the structure of the funds cannot be untangled. Sources close to the discussions insist that the debt will not ultimately reduce the amount destined for Ukraine. Yet Abramovich’s lawyers have repeatedly refused to engage on the mechanics of release while their Jersey challenge remains unresolved.

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Correspondence revealed during the case has highlighted a striking shift in Jersey’s stance towards Abramovich. In September 2017, he was warmly welcomed by the island’s authorities when applying for residency. A letter from Jersey’s director of high-value residency even suggested meeting for lunch to discuss a "soft landing" on the island. That tone changed dramatically after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In April of that year, just a month after Abramovich pledged that Chelsea sale funds would go to "all" Ukraine war victims, the Royal Court of Jersey imposed a freezing order on $7bn (£5.3bn) worth of assets linked to him. The island’s attorney general said Abramovich was a suspect in a criminal investigation, though officers later admitted that raids on his properties had been unlawful. The breakdown in dialogue between Abramovich and UK authorities has left the Ukraine fund frozen for three and a half years. Sources close to the UK Government acknowledge that the Jersey litigation has repeatedly been cited by Abramovich’s side whenever talks have attempted to move the situation forward.

A spokesperson for Abramovich had previously said: "The attorney general’s decision to investigate Mr Abramovich was illegitimate and politically motivated and linked to improving Jersey’s reputation as a financial centre in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, at a time when the Jersey government’s previous policy of encouraging Russian wealth to move to the island was now seen as politically inconvenient."

The Government of Jersey has firmly denied any wrongdoing. In a statement, it said: "The government of Jersey is aware of recent media reports concerning ongoing legal proceedings involving Mr Roman Abramovich. We respect the independence of the courts and the integrity of the legal process, and we will continue to defend our position vigorously. We categorically reject allegations of conspiracy, misfeasance in public office, or bad faith. These claims are entirely without foundation and will be addressed through the appropriate legal channels."

Abramovich’s legal bench is extensive. Alongside Herschmann and Lord Wolfson are Howard Sharp, a former Jersey solicitor general, Maya Lester, a senior barrister specialising in sanctions and human rights law, Richard Lissack, known for complex financial litigation, and Andrew Stafford, an expert in international finance cases. Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty has insisted that the UK Government remains confident in its legal position, including with regard to the Jersey action. Insiders familiar with the case suggest Abramovich’s decision to assemble such a heavyweight team reflects the scale of Jersey’s own legal resources.