Cyprus police open investigation into financial and tax affairs of Roman Abramovich
The inquiry follows a Guardian report that aides of the former Chelsea FC owner appeared to have falsified paperwork mapping his businesses.
Police in Cyprus have opened an investigation into the financial and tax affairs of Roman Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea FC, according to The Guardian. The inquiry follows a report by the Guardian and its media partners that aides of the Russian oligarch "appeared to have falsified paperwork" mapping his businesses.
The Guardian's summary also refers to a committee hearing in the Cypriot parliament, at which a senior official spoke. The summary breaks off before naming the official or stating what was said, so the content of that testimony cannot be reported from the available text. The article is credited to Rob Davies.
BBC News reported that Cyprus police have opened an investigation into the financial affairs of Abramovich, according to BBC News. Its summary says that questions about the "integrity of some of Abramovich's professional advisers" were raised earlier this month. The summary does not say who raised those questions, and it does not mention tax matters or paperwork.
The two accounts differ in emphasis. The Guardian describes tax affairs and paperwork that appeared to have been falsified by aides, while the BBC refers to financial affairs and to advisers whose integrity has been questioned. Neither available text says whether the aides in the Guardian's report and the advisers in the BBC's summary are the same people, and neither describes any charge, finding, or conclusion of the inquiry.
The available summaries do not say whether Abramovich or his representatives have responded to the investigation, and they do not describe its scope or timetable. The BBC summary does not mention the Guardian's report, and the Guardian summary does not mention the advisers.
Sources: The Guardian: Cyprus police investigate financial and tax affairs of ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich; BBC News: Cyprus police open investigation into financial affairs of Roman Abramovich.