Leak reveals Roman Abramovich’s billion-dollar trusts transferred before Russia sanctions

Exclusive: Files raise questions about whether oligarch’s children were made beneficiaries to protect fortune from possible asset freezes

Trusts holding billions of dollars of assets for Roman Abramovich were amended to transfer beneficial ownership to his children shortly before sanctions were imposed on the Russian oligarch.

Leaked files seen by the Guardian suggest 10 secretive offshore trusts established to benefit Abramovich were rapidly reorganised in early February 2022, three weeks before the start of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.