Roman Abramovich, forced to sell Chelsea for £2.5billion in 2022 following UK sanctions, is now the focus of a new BBC investigative documentary. The 59-year-old is believed to divide his time between Turkey, Dubai and Moscow, with his two superyachts, Eclipse and Solaris, valued at £530m and £430m respectively, currently anchored in Turkish waters.
Abramovich's current net worth
According to estimates from independent wealth trackers including Forbes, Abramovich is currently worth between £6.8bn and £7.1bn. Prior to the sanctions, his net worth was put at between £10.5bn and £13.5bn. However, a considerable portion of his assets remain frozen, restricted or subject to court orders.
The £2.5bn generated from the Chelsea sale is currently held in a UK bank account by the former parent company, Fordstam Ltd. The UK government stipulated that 100 per cent of the net proceeds must go towards humanitarian aid for Ukrainian war victims, though the transfer remains legally blocked.
A substantial £5.4bn in financial assets was also frozen by the Royal Court of Jersey in 2022 following the launch of a criminal investigation. No criminal charges have been brought, and Abramovich's legal team escalated the dispute in April, arguing that Jersey's asset freeze and investigation are "unfair and abusive." They have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Stance on football return
Last year, speculation emerged suggesting that Abramovich might return to football club ownership, with reports from Turkey indicating he was considering investment in Galatasaray. However, these claims were dismissed by the billionaire, who simply restated an earlier position.
In the 2025 book, Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC, Abramovich made it clear that his days of owning football clubs are over. "I don't have any interest in any role in a football club, certainly not a professional role," he said. "There might be something where I could help with academies and youngsters, giving greater opportunities to people from difficult backgrounds, if there were an initiative that could make a difference. But as for ownership or a professional role at a club, I am done with that in this lifetime."
Abramovich acquired Chelsea in July 2003 for £140million, and during his 19-year reign, the club claimed five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two Champions League and two Europa League crowns, along with three League Cup triumphs. Their FIFA Club World Cup victory in 2022 made Chelsea only the fifth club in European football history to have secured every major collective honour available to them. He is now the subject of a BBC Panorama documentary, Roman Abramovich: How He Hid His Fortune, which aired on Monday evening. His legal representatives have firmly denied any wrongdoing or improper conduct in relation to his past financial dealings.
