Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich asking Hollywood friends for cash amid government sanctions

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Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is said to be asking friends for a large loan in order to fulfil his obligations to staff.

Abramovich has had his assets frozen by the UK government as things stand due to his close relationship with Russia president Vladimir Putin.

Putin is leading an attempted invasion of Ukraine, and in response, the UK have frozen the assets of a number of Russian oligarchs.

Abramovich is one of them, and while he is taking part in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, he is still not being afforded his usual luxuries.

Chelsea have felt the pinch, coming under the remit of ‘assets’, but Abramovich himself is also now said to be feeling the impact of the sanctions.

According to Page Six, the Russian billionaire is now ‘begging’ friends from Hollywood and Wall Street to lend him a seven-figure sum in order to pay his staff.

It’s claimed Abramovich is attempting to lend $1million in order to make his $750,000 per-week staff bill.

A source is said to have told Page Six: “Roman is asking some of his closest powerful friends to let him borrow $1 million.

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“He is saying he has never missed payroll for his staff, which is $750,000 a week, and with his assets frozen, he can’t pay his people.

“He has reached out to Hollywood producer and director Brett Ratner and the Rothschild family, among many others, for money, but — while they are good friends with Roman — they have not agreed to give him money, because either they do not have that in liquid cash, or moreover it is not clear what are the repercussions under international law.”

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