Chelsea have issued an official statement in regard to the 74 charges brought by the English Football Association (FA)
Chelsea have been hit with 74 charges from the Football Association (FA) over alleged breaches linked to agents, intermediaries, and third-party involvement in player ownership.
The allegations cover the years 2009 to 2022, with most incidents said to have taken place between 2010 and 2016. The club, now under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital following their takeover in May 2022, had previously uncovered what they described as irregularities in financial reporting from Roman Abramovich’s tenure.
Last year, in July 2023, the club reached a settlement with UEFA, paying €10 million ($11.6m) after admitting to “incomplete financial reporting” during Abramovich’s ownership.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the FA confirmed: “Chelsea FC have been charged with breaches of Regulations J1 and C2 of The FA Football Agents Regulations, Regulations A2 and A3 of The FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries, as well as Regulations A1 and B3 of The FA Third Party Investment in Players Regulations.”
What did Chelsea say about the 74 Charges?
Chelsea released an official statement addressing the 74 charges immediately, stating that they had been the ones to report the discrepancies to the English FA.
In response to the charges, Chelsea released a statement confirming that discussions with the FA are close to being resolved. The club emphasised that the issues were self-reported following the change of ownership in May 2022, when Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover.
During the due diligence process before the purchase, the new ownership group identified potential gaps in historic financial reporting and possible breaches of FA regulations dating back more than a decade. Chelsea stated that, immediately after finalising the takeover, these matters were disclosed to the relevant authorities, including the FA.
The club added that it has shown full transparency throughout the investigation, granting comprehensive access to records and historical data. Chelsea reiterated its commitment to cooperating with the FA to bring the matter to a close and thanked the governing body for its engagement in reviewing these historic issues.