JERSEY Police have admitted conducting unlawful searches at premises allegedly linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and agreed to pay damages and apologise, a news agency is reporting.
The police were granted search warrants and searched premises in St Helier allegedly linked to Mr Abramovich in April this year, seizing documents and devices.
Reuters says it has seen a legal document, confirmed by two sources, containing an acknowledgment that ‘the search warrants were obtained unlawfully’ and agreeing ‘that the search warrants should be quashed’.
The reports claim that police also agreed to pay damages and costs, confirmed that all copies of documents seized in the searches had been destroyed and pledged to apologise to Mr Abramovich.
A spokeswoman for the Russian billionaire said: ‘Mr Abramovich has always acted in accordance with the law, we are pleased that the Jersey police have conceded in relation to these unlawful and unfounded searches.’
Following the raids in April, more than $7 billion worth of assets suspected to be connected to Mr Abramovich were frozen by the Royal Court by means of a formal court order, known as a saisie judiciaire.
A spokesperson for States of Jersey Police said the force was unable to comment.
The JEP understands that the investigation has been carried out by the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit, which is based within the Law Officers Department and utilises the services of officers seconded from States of Jersey Police.
In a statement, the Law Officers Department said: ‘The saisie judiciaire imposed on 12 April 2022 remains in force. We are unable to comment on live investigations.’
