- Granovskaia is involved in an ongoing legal case with the agent Saif Rubie
- A hearing next month may lead to Chelsea being required to release information
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Chelsea face having to reveal details of the allegedly questionable financial deals that mired the club in the Roman Abramovich era.
The Crown Prosecution Service have confirmed to Mail Sport that a Section 8 application under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act — which relates to the disclosure of relevant information linked to a defendant’s case — has been made by agent Saif Rubie in his ongoing legal case with former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia.
A hearing for the application is scheduled for April 10 at Southwark Crown Court.
The development raises the prospect of Chelsea’s new regime being legally obliged to release information on controversial historic deals that they were not involved in.
In July last year, UEFA reprimanded Chelsea and fined them £8.6million for ‘submitting incomplete financial information’ during the period 2012 to 2019, leaving the club in breach of UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations.
At the time, a Chelsea statement read: ‘Chelsea’s ownership group completed its purchase of the club on 30 May 2022. During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion, the group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions during the club’s previous ownership.
‘Immediately following the completion of the purchase, Chelsea self-reported these to UEFA. Chelsea has assisted UEFA with its investigation of these matters and, following analysis… the club has entered into a settlement agreement to pay €10m (£8.6m) to UEFA as a fixed payment.’
The UEFA charge sparked a Premier League investigation into a number of the club’s transactions during Abramovich’s reign, with particular focus on the signings of Willian and Samuel Eto’o from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala. The Times has since reported that there was scrutiny of alleged payments of millions of pounds to secretive offshore companies.
A Chelsea statement read: ‘These allegations pre-date the club’s current ownership. They concern entities allegedly controlled by the club’s former owner and do not relate to any individual who is presently at the club.’
In 2019, FIFA banned Chelsea from trading for two transfer windows after finding them guilty of breaching rules on signing young players. Chelsea refuted FIFA’s findings and appealed. FIFA rejected the appeal but the Court of Arbitration for Sport eventually halved the club’s transfer ban.
Last November, Chelsea faced further questions over how Abramovich funded the club’s successes, after leaked files — known as Cyprus Confidential — disclosed a string of alleged secret payments that may have breached strict rules.
The accusations relate to a time before Chelsea’s takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Nevertheless, the club’s chequered financial past could be exposed if the courts rule that the information is pertinent to the case involving Rubie and Granovskaia, which is due to take place later this year and is linked to an alleged email sent by the agent to the former Chelsea director.
In 2022, the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the correspondence in which Granovskaia was said to have received demands for payment from Rubie for a transfer involving Chelsea.
The investigation was originally related to accusations of blackmail with menace, before being downgraded to a charge of malicious communications.
Rubie denies the charge.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
