90min

Chelsea could be forced to reveal alleged dodgy dealings from Abramovich era

  • Chelsea may need to disclose information about historic transfers
  • Relates to legal battle between Saif Rubie & Marina Granovskaia
  • Financial dealings from Roman Abramovich scrutinised already

By 90min Staff

A court hearing could reveal plenty about Chelsea's former regime
A court hearing could reveal plenty about Chelsea's former regime / Mike Hewitt/GettyImages
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Chelsea face potentially having to disclose details of transfers during the Roman Abramovich era alleged to involve questionable financial dealings.

An ongoing legal case between former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia and agent Saif Rubie over an email alleged to be sent by the latter could see information regarding historic transfer be considered relevant and therefore be heard at court.

The Daily Mail has received confirmation from the Crown Prosecution Service have confirmed a section 8 application under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act, relating to the disclosure of relevant information, has been made by Rubie as part of his defence.

The agent is charged with malicious communications after Granovskaia was said to have received an email from him demanding payment for a transfer involving Chelsea. Rubie denies the charge.

Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich owned Chelsea from 2003 until 2022 / Clive Mason/GettyImages

Chelsea's transfer dealings and finances during the Abramovich era, which lasted from 2003 until 2022, have already come under scrutiny. Shortly after the current owners took control, Chelsea self-reported themselves to UFEA and paid an £8.6m fine, having become aware that incomplete financial information being submitted between 2012 and 2019 put the club in breach of UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations.

A Premier League investigation following, with scrutiny over "alleged payments of millions of pounds to secretive offshore companies". The signings of Samuel Eto'o and Willian from Russian club Anzhi Makachkala are said to have been particularly focused on. Chelsea also served a transfer ban in 2019 for breaching rules on signing young players and were questioned in late 2023 when leaked files "disclosed a string of alleged payments of millions of pounds to secretive offshore companies."

Although the context was not clear, Rubie posted a number of ticking clock emojis on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, strongly hinting that shocking information regarding Chelsea's dealing could become public.

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