Chelsea under fresh investigation over secret payments during Abramovich era

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Leaked files have brought Chelsea under fresher scrutiny, about how former owner Roman Abramovich funded the club to its many success.

The documents seen by The Guardian UK, reveal a series of secret payments worth tens of millions of pounds, delivered through offshore vehicles owned by Abramovich.

These transactions reportedly span over a decade and have raised concerns about potential breaches of football regulations, including financial fair play rules.

Beneficiaries of these payments have also been revealed to include the agent of star player Eden Hazard, an associate of former title-winning manager Antonio Conte, and Chelsea FC officials.

Some other payments have also been linked to the signings of former club stars Willian and Samuel Eto’o.

The probing is said to be part of the Cyprus Confidential investigation, and could lead to consequences for Chelsea, such as a Premier League points deduction.

Recall that Chelsea is already under investigation by the Premier League for incomplete financial information submitted during Abramovich’s ownership from 2012 to 2019.

UEFA had also previously fined Chelsea £8.6m over similar financial dealings.