Chelsea under FA investigation with possible points deduction sanction amid ‘leaked’ documents

Chelsea are reportedly under FA investigation with a possible points deduction sanction amid claims of ‘leaked’ documents.

The Blues face fresh questions over how Roman Abramovich funded the club after leaked files revealed a string of secret payments that may have breached Financial Fair Play rules.

The Guardian have taken a look at leaked files which allegedly reveals a number of payments that amount to tens of millions of pounds made through offshore vehicles belonging to the club’s former owner, Abramovich, who sold Chelsea to a Todd Boehly-led consortium in May 2022 having been sanctioned by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The transactions can today be revealed in detail thanks to #CyprusConfidential, a cache of 3.6m files leaked by an anonymous source to @ICIJorg and Germany’s Paper Trail Media @paper_trail_m , which shared access with the Guardian, @TBIJ and other reporting partners. 🧵

— Rob Davies (@ByRobDavies) November 15, 2023

Beneficiaries of the payments include agents linked to title-winning players and managers, club officials and even companies connected to the owners of other clubs. 🧵

Full details here 👇https://t.co/snRDYKTunH

— Rob Davies (@ByRobDavies) November 15, 2023

How Abramovich lent $50m to the owners of CSKA Moscow when both clubs were in the Champions League and would have faced each other in the next round, had both clubs won their ties. 🧵https://t.co/Ubg2SXPK9o

— Rob Davies (@ByRobDavies) November 15, 2023

We worked with dozens of journalists from around the world over months to piece together transactions that leading sports lawyers say cast doubt on Chelsea’s compliance with rules governing FFP, accurate accounting, acting in good faith and payments to agents. 🧵

— Rob Davies (@ByRobDavies) November 15, 2023

He purchased Chelsea in 2003 for £140m, injected hundreds of millions of pounds which transformed them into five title Premier League winners, while also winning the Champions League twice, the Europa League twice, the FA Cup five times, three League Cups, the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Other payments include those in connection with purchasing the likes of Willian and Samuel Eto’o.

It has already been reported that Chelsea has self-reported the alleged secret payments relating to these transfers, with the FA already said to be investigating the club over alleged financial breaches.

In July, UEFA fined Chelsea £8.6million for incomplete financial information.

Todd Boehly and his consortium completed his takeover of the club in the summer of 2022, and even though the charges relate to the previous ownership, Chelsea are still liable for any rule breaches.

The Premier League are also looking into Chelsea’s finances from 2012-2019, and should they be found guilty, football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes a points deduction down the line could be the punishment.

He said: “If there is proof that the club has used third party transactions to circumvent the profitability and sustainability rules then sanctions would be either financial or a points deduction.

“The latter is more likely as any commission investigating a club’s circumstances will want to put out a deterrent that dissuades others from repeating such behaviour.”

Chelsea currently sit 10th in the Premier League standings, having picked up 16 points from their opening 12 matches.

This is how fans are reacting after hearing Chelsea being under FA investigation with a possible points deduction sanction amid ‘leaked’ documents…

@Dan_dan_COYS: So you’re saying that all the titles and glory Chelsea had was thorough illegal and dirty money? Imagine our shock. No one ever noticed it. Wonder if the likes of Man City have also done anything similar?

@AFCMinded: So Chelsea were cheating too, shock horror! Strip them and City of their titles and throw the book at them with a points deduction, seen smaller clubs do less and get massive points deduction.

@CharlieHammondx: How many times have I said it. Club should be sent to the bottom division. Rotten from top to bottom.

@CerealKillerStu: Well if it relates to football-related expenses the only sensible punishment is to have any trophies won during that period removed. Football needs a tough stand against this stuff.

@UpperGwladysBlu: If they get stripped of the 2009 FA Cup, does this mean it gets awarded to Everton?🤔

@DarrenArsenal1: So the seeping out of what everyone knew, years and years of money laundering of costs. Points deduction and a transfer ban. Points to why they spent so much.

@AlecLFC1: Could, should, and hopefully will.

@Robbie_OR: Said this before but City becoming what they were after Chelsea was a godsend for Abramovich. Everyone forgets they started what is effectively how the premier league is today.

@TrashBandico0t: Two teams who have no history for years get owners and have instant success overnight thanks to unlimited money. But then it just turns out they cheated at every opportunity. Imagine my shock.

@StephenEvans75: I mean we all knew he was bent but some of the stuff in here is insane. Probably punished by a Slap on the wrists again no doubt. Only way this shit stops is if they come down hard on the clubs that keep doing it. Won’t happen tho as they don’t have the balls.

@seanyIawson: Time for the relevant authorities to do something about this shite, but they’re all too easily corrupted. City, Chelsea & even Everton to a lesser extent getting away with fucking murder.

Bottom line is – this is CHEATING. Fact. Same as Man City and Everton.

Authorities need to put a stop to it once and for all.

Relegate Chelsea.
Relegate Man City.
Relegate Everton.

Send a clear message out. Otherwise you only punish all the other clubs playing by the rules. pic.twitter.com/JZ49iviS4T

— Football Confidential 🌐 (@footballconfid1) November 15, 2023