Abramovich's legal team have alleged that the ongoing proceedings in Jersey are both unfair and abusive.
Roman Abramovich's lawyers have filed an application with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against the Jersey authorities and their ongoing investigation into the former Chelsea owner.
In March 2022, and just weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, the Government of Jersey (GOJ) sanctioned the oligarch and began a money-laundering investigation.
The GOJ wanted to determine whether certain assets, which they alleged were connected to Abramovich, were the proceeds of crime. They also applied for a court-ordered seizure of assets linked to him and went on to seize more than $7billion worth of assets.
But over four years on from the beginning of that investigation, it remains deadlocked -- and now lawyers acting on behalf of Abramovich have submitted an application to the ECHR outlining their belief that his right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights has been breached.
The ECHR confirmed receipt of the application to The Athletic. No decision has so far been taken.
The Jersey investigation is central to the ongoing deadlock between Abramovich and the UK government over the frozen £2.35bn -- and how it is spent -- from the Chelsea sale in May 2022.
The UK government's position is that the proceeds from the club's sale to BlueCo, a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, will remain frozen unless Abramovich signs off on it only being spent towards charitable causes in Ukraine.
However, Abramovich's stance, as evidenced by an application to create a new foundation, is that the money should be spent towards global humanitarian aid -- including Russian victims of the war.
The reason the Jersey investigation matters is because the latest financial accounts from Abramovich's UK-based Fordstam Ltd reveal that he owes Camberley International Investments, a Jersey-based company linked to the Russian, £1.4bn from the Chelsea sale proceeds.
Abramovich's legal team have alleged that the ongoing proceedings in Jersey are both unfair and abusive.
Their application also involves Article 8, alleging that a person's right to a private life -- Abramovich's in this instance -- has been breached by the Jersey authorities and that the investigation being made public was politically motivated and unlawful.
In a statement released to The Athletic, a representative for Abramovich said: "This investigation, which has dragged on for years without charges, transparency, or credible evidence, represents a clear abuse of power by the Government of Jersey and a violation of fundamental rights.
"Authorities have withheld key information and ignored basic procedural safeguards, showing how this is not a legitimate legal process but one driven by political motives. We expect the European Court of Human Rights to recognize these failures and reach the same conclusion."