Jersey, the tax haven in the English Channel, has frozen £5.4bn of assets linked to Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich.
The Royal Court has imposed a freeze on the assets, “which are either located in Jersey or owned by Jersey incorporated entities.”
Jersey’s Law Officers’ Department said it searched premises in Jersey “suspected to be connected to the business activities of Roman Abramovich”.
Roman Abramovich, perhaps best known as the owner of Chelsea Football Club, has been the subject of sanctions from the UK government, purportedly because of his close links to Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin.
Camberley International Investments, which is registered in Jersey, has a US$1.4bn loan outstanding to the holding company that owns Chelsea.