Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich Gets Israeli Citizenship, Report Says

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich obtained an Israeli citizenship, Israeli news site Ynet News reported Monday. According to the report, Mr. Abramovich has landed in Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport Monday, where he received an Israeli identification card.

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Mr. Abramovich, who owns British football club Chelsea, has lived in the U.K. in recent years, but sought Israeli citizenship once the U.K. refused to extend his visa, allegedly due to his ties to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Ynet reported.

Mr. Abramovich, who is Jewish, is entitled to an Israeli citizenship through Israel’s Law of Return, granting citizenship to all people of Jewish lineage.

With a personal fortune valued at $10 billion, Mr. Abramovich ranked 13th among Britain’s wealthiest. He is now expected to become the wealthiest man in Israel.

Ynet News reported that Mr. Abramovich has already opened a bank account in Israel, and that he will reside at a $28 million (NIS 100 million) estate in the picturesque Neve Tzedek neighborhood in Tel Aviv, which he bought in 2015.

Mr. Abramovich has visited Israel several times and has made investments in Israeli companies. He is a key investor in Israel-based investment firm AltaIR Capital, which backed Israeli online real estate bulletin board RealX in March.

Mr. Abramovich also invests in Israeli startups through London-based investment firm Millhouse LLC, whose portfolio includes Spot.IM, quick-charging battery startup StoreDot Ltd., Video monetization company Anyclip Ltd., venture capital firm iAngels Crowd Ltd., children’s mobile entertainment startup Kidoz Ltd. and Israeli-linked rideshare firm Via.