Threatening Abramovich ally ‘would be suicide’
The football agent accused of sending an intimidating email to a Chelsea executive has said it would be “a suicide mission” to threaten anyone connected to the club’s former owner Roman Abramovich, a court has heard.
Saif Alrubie is charged with sending an “electronic communication with intent to cause distress” to the former Chelsea director of football Marina Granovskaia – as he attempted to collect £300,000 in commissions he believed he was owed in 2022.
He told the jury: “She was the right hand of Roman Abramovich, one of the biggest businessmen in the world. I don’t think I’d be stupid enough to threaten anyone – let alone someone [connected] with the might of Roman Abramovich … That would just be me on a suicide mission.”
The comments were made on the second day of Alrubie’s trial at Southwark crown court. Earlier in the day the court heard how another wellknown agent, Kia Joorabchian, had secretly flown to the US the night before he was due to give evidence in the high-profile criminal trial.
Jury members had been told to expect to hear key evidence from Joorabchian on Tuesday. However, yesterday they were informed by prosecution counsel that Joorabchian had taken a private jet to the US on Monday night without informing the court.
Joorabchian had been in touch with a police officer connected to the case on Tuesday, when he claimed he could not give evidence because he was unwell. He was asked to provide a note from his doctor and, after police made “further repeated unanswered calls” to Joorabchian, the football agent then informed an officer that he was no longer in the country, the jury was told.
The development came after the prosecution had set out on Tuesday how, in May 2022, Granovskaia had received an intimidating email from Alrubie as he pursued a £300,000 payment for what he claims was his role in the transfer of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea to West Ham in 2021.
Alrubie’s message said: “I’m sure you’ve heard the story about your other friend Kia when he owed me money for a year and how he ended up paying it. Wouldn’t want you to be in the same situation just because you have a personal issue with me.’’
The message is alleged to refer to a supposed incident in 2013 when Joorabchian claims to have been confronted by about 12 debt collectors at his office – and separately relieved of his expensive watch at a restaurant – as part of an effort to put pressure on him into repaying money allegedly owed to Alrubie.
However, the court was told how Joorabchian had complained to the police about the alleged incident, but that they could find no evidence that he had had his watch taken from him.
“The police have managed to find a police report dated 7 February 2013 when Mr Joorabchian made an initial allegation that he been apprehended by some men in a restaurant,” prosecutor Arizuna Asante told jurors. “The police thoroughly investigated that incident and the could find no link between that incident and the defendant.”
The case continues.