Roman Abramovich makes claim of ‘conspiracy’ against Jersey government

Move threatens to throw open parts of secretive legal battle on Channel island about ex-Chelsea owner's wealth

The former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is making a claim of conspiracy" against the government of Jersey after the crown dependency launched a criminal investigation into allegations of corruption and money laundering in connection with the original source of the oligarch's wealth.

The latest move threatens to throw open parts of a secretive legal battle on the Channel island about the tycoon's rise to become one of the world's richest people, which emerged in September after a Switzerland federal criminal court ordered the release of a cache of Swiss banking records requested by the Jersey attorney general.