Roman Abramovich on Thursday faced calls to be stripped of his right to own a football club after documents linked him to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin’s administration.
It also accused Abramovich of “public association with corrupt activity and practices”.
The billionaire Chelsea owner is facing renewed focus on his business activities as Russia begins to launch an all-out attack on Ukraine.
Labour MP, Chris Bryant, today shared a leaked Home Office document in the Commons.
Bryant noted the document was from 2019 and questioned why no action had yet been taken against Abramovich based on its warnings.
“I have got hold of a leaked document from 2019 from the Home Office which says in relation to Mr Abramovich – ”As part of HMG’s Russia strategy aimed at targeting illicit finance and malign activity, Abramovich remains of interest to HMG due to his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices.
“An example of this is Abramovich admitting in court proceedings that he paid for political influence,” he said.
Bryant added that “That is nearly three years ago and yet remarkably little has been done in relation.
“Surely Mr Abramovich should no longer be able to own a football club in this country? Surely we should be looking at seizing some of his assets including his £152million home? And making sure that other people who have had Tier 1 Visas like this are not engaged in a malign activity?”
The UK Sun also reports that Abramovich has effectively been barred from living in Britain ever again.
He has not watched matches at Stamford Bridge for months and withdrew an application for a British Tier 1 investor visa in 2018. This came after delays in his application, following criticism of Russian oligarchs following the Salisbury poisonings.
Senior security sources are of the view that it is unlikely that the 55-year-old will ever be allowed to live in Britain again.
Immigration officials have also reportedly been instructed to make it impossible for Abramovich to base himself in the UK.
