Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has hired some of the world’s top lawyers to challenge the authorities of Jersey, which froze more than £5.3 billion of his assets. The funds stem from the sale of Chelsea, part of which was intended to be transferred to Ukraine, according to The Times.

Axar.az informs, citing RBC-Ukraine, since 2022, billions of pounds belonging to Roman Abramovich have been frozen by the courts of the self-governing island of Jersey. The funds are the subject of complex legal proceedings after the local government launched an investigation into their origin.

Abramovich’s representatives said that £1.4 billion of the £2.35 billion raised from the sale of Chelsea cannot be allocated to a charitable foundation until the Jersey government halts its investigation and related court action.

Abramovich’s legal team now includes Lord Wolfson KC, the House of Lords’ shadow attorney general, and Eric Hershmann, who served as senior legal adviser to US President Donald Trump during his first term.

The team also includes four other senior lawyers: Howard Sharp, a former attorney general of Jersey; Maya Lester, a leading human rights barrister with extensive sanctions cases experience; Richard Lissack, a lawyer specializing in financial litigation; and Andrew Stafford, an expert in international financial matters.

It is also reported that Abramovich has secured a court ruling allowing partial reimbursement of legal costs from the Jersey government, estimated at around £2.5 million.