Chelsea Hit With 74 Charges for Breaches During Roman Abramovich Ownership

Chelsea was charged with 74 breaches of English soccer’s rules on Thursday.

The charges cover a period from 2009-22 and relate to regulations covering soccer agents, working with intermediaries and third party involvement in player transfers.

Chelsea said in a statement it self-reported the potential breaches to the English Football Association, which came to light in 2022 when American investors Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital led a consortium to buy out former owner Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea said it became aware of “potentially incomplete financial reporting” of historical transactions and other “potential breaches of FA rules.”

“Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including The FA.”

The FA said the charges primarily related to the 2010-11 to 2015-16 seasons, a period in which Chelsea won two Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Russian billionaire Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 and his lavish spending sparked an unprecedented period of success, including 21 trophies.

He was forced to sell the club in 2022 after being sanctioned by the British government for his connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.

A fast-tracked $3.2 billion buyout was completed in May that year by Boehly and Clearlake.

The charges

Chelsea has been charged with a breach of regulation J1, which prohibits the direct or indirect use of or payment to an unauthorized agent. Another charge relates to using or paying an unregistered intermediary.

Regulation C2 says a player or authorized agent must not “conceal or misrepresent the reality and/or substance” of any matters relating to a transaction or contract negotiation.

Another charge is in regard to payments, rights or liabilities relating to a third party involved in the transfer of a player.

“The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data,” Chelsea said. “We will continue working collaboratively with the FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible.”

Chelsea has until Sept. 19 to respond to the charges.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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