Roman Abramovich is still alive but has been living a much lower‑profile life under sanctions, legal scrutiny and with much of his fortune effectively frozen since Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. His most high‑profile issue today is the unresolved battle over the multibillion‑pound proceeds from the 2022 sale of Chelsea FC, which remain frozen while politicians and courts press him to hand the money to Ukraine‑related humanitarian causes and his lawyers push back.

Quick background

  • Roman Abramovich is a Russian‑Israeli billionaire best known for owning Chelsea FC from 2003 until he sold the club in 2022.
  • He made most of his wealth in Russian oil and gas during the post‑Soviet privatization era, notably through the company Sibneft.

What changed in 2022

  • After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the UK and other Western jurisdictions imposed sanctions on Abramovich over alleged links to the Kremlin, which he denies.
  • Under pressure from UK authorities, he agreed to sell Chelsea FC in 2022, with public promises that the proceeds (about £2.5 billion) would go to victims of the war in Ukraine via a charitable foundation.

Sanctions and “exile”

  • Since the sanctions, Abramovich has largely disappeared from public life in the UK and EU, keeping what outlets describe as a “low profile” while living mostly outside those jurisdictions.
  • Several countries and territories, including the UK and Jersey, have frozen assets linked to him worth around $7 billion–£5.3 billion, as part of sanctions and broader financial crime investigations.

Legal battles and frozen Chelsea money

  • The proceeds from the 2022 Chelsea sale (around £2.5 billion) remain locked in UK bank accounts under the sanctions regime, because there is still no final agreement on how and where the money will be spent.
  • The UK government and now Prime Minister Keir Starmer insist that “every penny” must go to Ukraine‑related humanitarian causes, and have warned they are ready to take the matter to court if Abramovich does not sign off on a deal.
  • Reports in late 2025 say Abramovich has assembled a heavyweight legal team and is resisting the UK’s conditions, seeking either different terms or an alternative structure for the funds’ use.
  • At the same time, Jersey authorities are investigating the origins of his wealth and possible sanctions breaches, including transfers around the time he was added to their sanctions list in 2022, which could carry criminal penalties if proven.

Where things stand now (latest news)

  • Politically, Abramovich has become a target in UK domestic debates: some politicians criticize any colleagues who work for him, while others focus on forcing the release of the Chelsea money for Ukraine.
  • Legally and financially, he is stuck in a long grind of court actions and negotiations over frozen billions (Jersey asset freeze, Chelsea proceeds), with authorities signalling they are prepared for drawn‑out litigation.

In short, the answer to “what happened to Roman Abramovich” is: he went from high‑profile Premier League owner to sanctioned oligarch in semi‑exile, fighting multi‑front legal and political battles over frozen assets and the blocked Chelsea sale money, while staying mostly out of public view.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.