The charitable foundation established to manage the £2.35 billion proceeds from Roman Abramovich's sale of Chelsea Football Club includes a trustee with direct links to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's inner circle, according to recent disclosures.
Trustee Connections to Downing Street
Martin Griffiths, a prominent UK diplomat and former United Nations coordinator, has been named as a trustee of The Foundation for the Victims of Conflict. Griffiths co-founded the peacemaking organization Inter-Mediate in 2011 alongside Jonathan Powell, who currently serves as Sir Keir Starmer's principal national security advisor.
Inter-Mediate describes its mission as focusing "on the most difficult, complex and dangerous conflicts where other organizations are unable to operate." This connection between a foundation trustee and the Prime Minister's key security advisor adds a new dimension to the ongoing dispute between Abramovich and the UK government regarding the destination of the Chelsea sale funds.
Foundation Leadership and Mandate
The Foundation for the Victims of Conflict will be overseen by former Unicef executive Mike Penrose, with Griffiths joining two other trustees: Caryl Stern, former director of the Walton Family Foundation established by Walmart's founders, and anti-female genital mutilation campaigner Nimco Ali.
The charity's registration represents Abramovich's attempt to resolve the protracted conflict with UK authorities over the frozen funds currently held in a Fordstam Ltd bank account. While the UK government insists the money should exclusively benefit Ukrainian victims of Vladimir Putin's invasion, Abramovich has expressed his desire for the proceeds to assist "all victims" of the conflict, potentially including Russian casualties.
Government Concerns and Legal Framework
A Charity Commission spokesperson confirmed: "We have received an application to register the Foundation for the Victims of Conflict to receive funds from the sale of Chelsea FC and will be assessing this against the legal framework for charitable status to determine if it meets the legal tests to be a charity. Our role as regulator is to ensure that organizations entered onto the Register of Charities meet the legal definition of a charity and that trustees comply with their legal duties."
The foundation's likely focus on victims beyond Ukraine has raised concerns within government circles. This development coincides with Abramovich facing additional legal challenges in Jersey, where the Royal Court seized more than $7 billion of assets linked to the Russian oligarch four years ago.
Diplomatic Tensions and Humanitarian Priorities
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office reiterated the government's position: "We have been clear from the start that the full proceeds of the sale of Chelsea FC must be used for humanitarian causes in Ukraine. Our absolute priority remains ensuring the funds reach the most vulnerable in Ukraine who have endured over four years of relentless suffering."
The connection between foundation trustee Martin Griffiths and Prime Minister Starmer's national security advisor Jonathan Powell introduces new diplomatic considerations into an already complex situation involving frozen assets, charitable intentions, and geopolitical tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.
