Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been accused of dodging millions in tax payments as part of a scheme around his fleet of superyachts. Abramovich, who was sanctioned by the UK in March 2022 over his connection to Vladimir Putin's regime and forced to sell the Stamford Bridge club, purchased five luxury yachts in the 2000s that were involved in the tax scheme, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
Lawyers acting on Abramovich's behalf said in a statement that he had "always obtained independent expert professional tax and legal advice" and "acted in accordance" with it. Since the sanctions the billionaire has been dividing his time between Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Sochi while the yachts have been stationed.
In June 2023, after Istanbul hosted the Champions League final won by Manchester City, Mirror Football explored the area in which Abramovich had been renting a gated complex. According to the head of the Istanbul Real Estate Brokers Club the former Chelsea owner started paying $50,000 (£40,000) a month for a house owned by the stock market player Ahmet Okumus in late 2022. Okumus purchased the property for an estimated $25m (£20m) just over a decade ago.
Since then, however, CNN Turkey have reported that Abramovich has purchased a property in the Vanikoy district. Though the exact location of the house is unclear and those inside the billionaire's circle has refused to confirm it is now his residence. As first reported by the Telegraph, the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change has criticised "unauthorised construction activities" of a helipad at the property, which is in the protected "Bosphorus foreview area." The government ordered the helipad to be demolished in September.
