New trouble for Roman Abramovich. The former owner of Chelsea was secretly financing the Dutch Vitesseaccording to research revealed by Guardian and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism via the Oligarch files, a cache of leaked data that originated from Cyprus-based offshore service provider MeritServus. For a long time, the link between Chelsea and Vitesse was more than evident but the Dutch Football Federation carried out up to two investigations on the matter but found nothing illegal or irregular. Now the uncovered information confirms that the Russian oligarch was pumping money into Vitesse’s coffers while also owning Chelsea.
According to the uncovered documentation, Abramovich paid 117 million euros with secret loans that, according to the English newspaper, would have gone through a series of companies registered in offshore tax havens. Several footballers from the Chelsea environment such as Matic or Mount, among others since the list is very extensive, were on loan during those years at the Eredivisie club, setting off alarm bells. It all started in 2010 when the former Georgian soccer player Merab Jordania, a friend of the Russian magnate, acquired the entity, although they always denied any business relationship between the two. The investigations in the Netherlands never found anything and from the Chelsea environment they always pointed to a merely working relationship: “We have a working relationship with Vitesse, as we have with other clubs…”. Although now everything indicates that the Abramovich moved money to the coffers of the Vitesse.
The Vitesse defends itself
On Wednesday afternoon, the British newspaper Guardian public a report claiming that Vitesse was indirectly financed in the period between 2010 and 2016 by companies owned by Abramovich, the then owner of Chelsea. Vitesse points out that the information on which the article is based she has never been known by the club. The club has always fully cooperated with the investigations launched by the KNVB, which have also failed to reveal any wrongdoing.
During the mentioned period, Vitesse received share premium payments from the holding company above the club, which is also apparent from all published annual reports. This holding company was, as The Guardian writes, financed by Marinedale Trading Limited. Mr. Chigirinskiy is the (sole) beneficial owner of Marindale Trading Limited, as evidenced by official documents that have been part of the investigations. Vitesse had no knowledge of the way this company was financed. Vitesse itself has not had any loan agreements.
The KNVB and other experts have carried out extensive and in-depth investigations into the situation in Vitesse on several occasions; first to the structure surrounding the acquisition (2010), then to the correctness and completeness of the legal structures and construction financing presented by Vitesse (2015). Vitesse has given investigators full access at all times to all relevant documents in its possession. Both investigations have not revealed any facts that conflict with the rules of the KNVB and UEFA.
It was concluded at that time that Vitesse always correctly and completely informed the parties about the property and the legal structure of the club, that Vitesse’s legal structure is in line with KNVB regulations and that no third party had control over the club. This is also confirmed by Guardian a Chelsea representative.