Roman Abramovich was blocked from obtaining Swiss residency over suspicions he was involved in money laundering and in contact with criminal organisations, according to allegations made public for the first time yesterday.
The Russian billionaire and owner of Chelsea Football Club denied the allegations, describing them as "entirely false".
The 51-year-old Abramovich has faced difficulties obtaining permission to live in more than one country of late.
He reportedly withdrew an application to renew his UK visa this year after it came under scrutiny and was delayed. A few months earlier, he had similarly dropped an attempt to obtain residency in Switzerland.
At the time the Swiss press was blocked from reporting details of the case after Abramovich won an injunction in the Swiss courts, but details of the allegations were published after a Swiss media group succeeded in having the injunction overturned.