Deloitte Cyprus Helped Abramovich Firms Move Billions, Leaked Emails Show

· Investigations · United Kingdom

A trove of leaked emails shows that Deloitte's Cyprus office helped firms beneficially owned by Roman Abramovich attempt to sidestep tax and disclosure obligations. According to the reporting, the firm used backdated paperwork to retroactively transfer assets to British Virgin Islands companies, an apparent bid to move billions out of reach of authorities. The arrangement relied on shifting ownership after the fact, a technique that can frustrate tax authorities and transparency rules. The disclosures add to scrutiny of professional services firms that advise ultra-wealthy clients on offshore structures, and raise questions about the role of Big Four accounting networks in facilitating asset relocation for sanctioned or high-profile individuals.

Why it matters：It puts a Big Four accounting network at the center of offshore asset-shifting for a sanctioned billionaire, intensifying scrutiny of professional enablers and the transparency gaps that investigators and tax authorities must close.

Key points

  • Leaked emails show backdated paperwork transferring assets to British Virgin Islands companies.
  • The firms involved were beneficially owned by Roman Abramovich.
  • The apparent aim was to avoid tax and disclosure obligations.

Sources (original reporting)

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