Manchester City owner ‘helped Putin cronies avoid sanctions’

THE owner of Manchester City Football Club faces a Foreign Office investigation for allegedly helping Roman Ambramovich and other high-profile Russians evade sanctions.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been accused of allowing the United Arab Emirates, where he is deputy prime minister, to become flooded with superyachts and private jets belonging to oligarchs loyal to Vladimir Putin. In a legal submission by international criminal lawyers to James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, Sheikh Mansour is described as being “central” to the flow of sanctioned Russian assets to the Middle Eastern state since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.

The West responded to the war with an unprecedented package of sanctions targeted at oligarchs believed to be enablers of Mr Putin’s regime.

The intention was that depriving his key supporters of access to their vast wealth would help pressure Moscow to change course.

However, the billionaire sheikh, who has owned Manchester City since 2008, was accused this week of helping sanctioned individuals to “conspicuously enjoy their wealth” by transferring their assets.

Mr Abramovich’s Boeing Dreamliner, thought to be worth £320million, has been stationed in Dubai for long periods since the beginning of the war, one of several jets across the UAE belonging to sanctioned Russians. In June, a US court ordered the seizure of the aircraft as part of the sanctions framework.

Many of the biggest and most lavish superyachts in the world have also been transferred to the federation of Arab states since February.

These include The Madame Gu, a £140million vessel belonging to Andrei Skoch, a steel billionaire and member of the State Duma, who has been a cheerleader for Putin’s actions.

The 324ft vessel has a helicopter pad, gym and a beach club.

Andrey Melnichenko’s £270million Motor Yacht A, which is decked out with Baccarat crystal furniture and a secret room hidden behind mirrored panels, is also reported to have docked in the UAE in March. It subsequently turned off its location transmitter, but, according to YouTube channel eSysman SuperYachts, it was recently spotted in Dubai, near the World Islands.

The influx of Russian money into the UAE this year has also reportedly bolstered some parts of the economy, with property prices inflating.

The request for a Foreign Office investigation into Sheikh Mansour’s alleged role in facilitating sanctions evasion has been made by barristers Rhys Davies and Ben Keith on behalf of a Ukrainian activist who is not being named for security reasons.

It says the UAE “is now widely perceived to be the destination of choice for sanctioned supporters of Putin”.

It quoted reports that Russians are “increasingly approaching Sheikh Mansour’s office” for help moving wealth into the country.

If he was in the UK at any point when alleged sanctions evasion was taking place, those actions might fall within UK jurisdiction.

The submission asks Mr Cleverly to investigate whether Sheikh Mansour has committed any offences and whether he should be sanctioned himself.

Sheikh Mansour is beloved by supporters of Manchester City for using his wealth to spur the best run of success in the club’s history.

Asked for a response to the legal submission, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it would not comment on specific cases. It added that the Government was committed to ensuring compliance with sanctions.

Sheikh Mansour did not respond to a request to comment.

Neither did a representative of Mr Abramovich when asked to confirm the present location of his Dreamliner.