A BBC investigation has accused Deloitte, one of the world’s largest audit firms, of assisting Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in hiding his assets and avoiding tax payments. The report says the firm’s work in Cyprus enabled the concealment of wealth that would otherwise have been visible to authorities and tax collectors.
In Cyprus, Deloitte certified financial statements for Amiscan Investments, an entity linked to Abramovich. Those statements omitted assets valued at $672 million. The missing holdings included super yachts, luxury real estate located in the United Kingdom and France, and private aircraft.
Deloitte helped in falsifying documents to hide Roman Abramovich’s wealth and evade tax, BBC finds https://t.co/58Q1vZRFtn
According to the BBC’s sources, Deloitte went beyond mere certification. Experts cited in the investigation suggest the firm helped design a tax‑avoidance scheme that involved the backdating of documents to transfer assets to a parent company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands.
The investigation provides concrete figures to illustrate the scale of the omission.
Experts cited in the BBC investigation suggest the backdating was part of a scheme to transfer assets to a parent company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands.
🔵EXCLUSIVE: Leaked files containing years’ worth of email correspondence and financial records show how Deloitte Cyprus worked with other firms managing Roman Abramovich’s wealth to move vast assets from Cyprus to the British Virgin Islands, including cash deposits in banks, superyachts, and luxury homes. Read more in our new story with @TBIJ and @TheCIReN: https://t.co/HhDh9ZhIqm
While Deloitte maintains that its actions were "in accordance with current legislation," legal analysts quoted by the BBC contend that the evidence points to tax evasion rather than legitimate tax planning. The firm’s public stance stresses compliance, whereas critics see the backdated documents as indicative of illicit conduct.
Representatives for Roman Abramovich have denied any knowledge or involvement in the forgery of documents. They reject the suggestion that the oligarch was aware of, or participated in, the alleged concealment of his wealth.
TBIJ 12.10.26 State Scrutiny The Enablers Abramovich’s inner circle presented high court with sham documents and misleading testimony Documents faked by Deloitte staff were used to help fend off a lawsuit from rival oligarch Published October 12, 2026 By Simon Lock https://t.co/B3NlMhvfZq
The investigation provides concrete figures to illustrate the scale of the omission. The yacht Pelorus alone was valued at $147.5 million. After the alleged hiding, the financial statements showed only $75 thousand in remaining assets. The total value of the hidden assets is put at $672 million.
According to the numbers provided, Cyprus passed a law requiring financial disclosure in 2006. Separately, the chronology entry notes that on 2026‑10‑12 Cyprus passed a law requiring financial disclosure and that Deloitte backdated a 2003 report.
Deloitte states its actions were “in accordance with current legislation.” Abramovich’s representatives deny any knowledge or involvement in the alleged document forgery. Legal analysts quoted by the BBC argue that the evidence points to tax evasion.