Russian billionaire and former owner of Chelsea Football Club, which plays in the English Premier League, Roman Abramovich has been secretly investing in cannabis companies for years.

According to leaked documents, procured and divided by Forensic News, a Russian oligarch known for his close ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has helped fund the multi-state cannabis operator’s two largest shareholders Curaleaf Holdings KURLF.

With a market cap of approximately $3.08 billion, the Wakefield, Massachusetts-based company is considered one of the largest marijuana companies in the world. According to the report, its shareholders were secretly funded by Abramovich, whose net worth is estimated at around $9 billion.

When Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year, the Russian tycoon was sanctioned by Britain and the EU, but the US nevertheless received an arrest warrant from the Justice Department in June to confiscate two of his planes worth more than $400 million.

‘An American Success Story’

When the war started, Curaleaf was targeted for possible links to Russia. Executive Chairman Boris Jordan took the top spot for his Russian and Ukrainian ancestry. Jordan, a US-born American citizen, was accused of having financial ties to Russian companies and oligarchs.

To which Jordan replied: “Curaleaf is a American success story founded by me! Please stop spreading misinformation. I was born in the USA and I live and work in the USA! Our shareholder Andrei Blokh is also a US citizen. $curlf”

He added: “Having dual Ukrainian and Russian descent, I pray for diplomacy and a peaceful resolution that protects the lives of all citizens on both sides of this conflict.”

Jordan, which owns around 18.2% of Curaleaf, was estimated to have a net worth of around in April 1 billion dollars. Beginning in the early 1990s, he spent around two decades in Russia, where he was considered one of the country’s most prominent foreign investment bankers. Besides, he once