Secret $40m deal links Vladimir Putin to Roman Abramovich - BBC Newsnight

Leaked documents reveal a secret $40m deal between former Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich and two men dubbed Vladimir Putin’s “wallets”, a BBC investigation has found.

The billionaire Russian oligarch was sanctioned by the UK and EU council in 2022 for his proximity to the Russian leader and for allegedly profiting from the Kremlin regime.

Mr Abramovich has previously denied any financial relationship with Vladimir Putin, and he has not responded to requests for comment from the BBC.

Reporter: Ben Chu
Production: Sean Clare, James Melley, James Oliver, Harriet Agerholm, Will Dahlgreen, Becky Dale
Camera: Jonathan Callery
Editor: Luke Winsbury
Graphics: Rodrigo Jorge
Production co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross

This investigation was carried out by BBC Newsnight, BBC Verify, and BBC Panorama, partnered with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism to uncover revelations as part of the Cyprus Confidential – a global investigation led by reporters at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and Paper Trail Media.