Jewish Russian Billionaire Accepts Israeli Citizenship, Now The Richest Israeli

An Israeli official says Jewish-Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has received Israeli citizenship after his British visa was not renewed earlier this month.

The official, from Israel’s Immigration Ministry, says the Chelsea football (soccer) club owner arrived at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on Monday, where he received his Israeli identity card. Israel grants automatic citizenship to anyone of Jewish descent.

The official was not authorized to talk to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another official told Channel 10 News that Abramovich submitted a citizenship request “like any other person” with Israel’s Moscow embassy and was accepted.

Britain said this month it would review long-term visas of rich Russians after the March poisonings of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury. Britain has accused Russia of exposing them to a nerve agent. Moscow denies the charge.

The Sunday Times has put Abramovich’s wealth at 9.3 billion pounds, ($12.5 billion) which makes him the new richest Israeli.

Source: (YWN / AP)