US delivers fresh blow to hated Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich

Filthy rich Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich has been humiliated yet again in a savage move by the US.

Filthy rich Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has copped a fresh blow to his finances and his ego after US authorities set their sights on him.

In an embarrassing moment for the 55-year-old billionaire, Mr Abramovich’s private jet was grounded in the US.

Early on Saturday morning AEDT, around 100 planes with ties to Russia were unable to leave because all services were denied to them.

The US Commerce Department said the aircraft had violated the country’s export laws because they had ignored sanctions and flown to Russia in recent weeks.

As a result, their owners, operators and servicers could be facing substantial jail time, fines, loss of export privileges or other restrictions.

The planes grounded included 99 Boeing aircraft carrying passengers or cargo from Russia through companies such as Aeroflot, AirBridge Cargo, Utair, Nordwind, Azur Air and Aviastar-TU.

Mr Abramovich’s private Gulfstream G650 jet was also among those caught up in the crackdown.

Billionaire Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich is under fire because of his close ties to Putin. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP

In a statement, the department explained: “By preventing these aircraft from receiving any service, for example, including from abroad, international flights from Russia on these aircraft are effectively grounded.”

US sanctions mean that even just helping a sanctioned plane with refuelling, maintenance or repairs is a breach of US export controls.

The new rules came into effect on February 24, the same day Russia invaded Ukraine.

By refusing these planes the ability to fly away, the US believed it was putting the world “on notice” to follow its sanctions seriously, according to the Commerce Department.

“We will not allow Russian and Belarusian companies and oligarchs to travel with impunity in violation of our laws,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said of the move.

A file photo of an Auroflot plane, which is Russia’s state carrier. Picture: Kirill Kudryavstev / AFP

It’s not the first time Mr Abramovich, whose fortune is worth nearly $19 billion, according to the latest data from Forbes magazine, has been thwarted in recent weeks by sanctions imposed by western nations.

Mr Abramovich is the owner of the Chelsea Football Club but he is being forced to sell it because of the potential that his assets will be seized in the UK.

Australia has joined a string of other nations including Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States in cracking down on “key Russian individuals” which includes Mr Abramovich.

He is thought to have fled to Moscow after leaving his mansion in Israel by boat.

Two superyachts belonging to the embattled Russian billionaire were spotted setting sail to evade sanctions imposed on him by the European Union, who allege he has “privileged access” to Vladimir Putin, which he denies.

He’s also not the most popular person in Portugal.

A weird quirk in the law means he has scored himself citizenship there because he is the descendant of Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula 500 years ago, granting him nationality.

Portugal is now looking to change that law to stop it from being “manipulated”.

Roman Abramovich is being forced to sell his football club Picture: Alexander Hassenstein – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Billionaire Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich is under fire because of his close ties to Putin. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP

Superyacht Solaris, owned by the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, which is under UK sanctions. Picture: Savo Prelevic/AFP

A bipartisan group of US senators announced this week proposed legislation which would not only allow the government to seize and sell oligarch’s assets, such as yachts and art – but would also enable proceeds to go directly towards humanitarian aid to assist Ukraine.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, one of the politicians spearheading the Act, said people like Mr Abramovich lived a life of luxury off “dirty money”.

“Putin and his oligarchs stow their dirty money in rule-of-law nations by purchasing mansions, mega-yachts, artwork, and other high-value assets,” Mr Whitehouse said.

“We ought to seize those ill-gotten luxuries and put them to use helping the Ukrainian people.

“That would be a measure of justice for a nation besieged by a corrupt dictator.

“We remain united in our commitment to levelling a massive financial blow on Putin and his oligarchs.”