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Daily Mail By GORDON RAYNER
Last updated at 18:22pm on 16th October 2006
Abramovich denies £5.5 billion divorce battle
Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has denied he is facing the world's most expensive divorce.
Two top London lawyers have reputedly been lined up by his wife Irina amid revelations of the tycoon's close friendship with 23 year old stunning fellow - Russian Daria Zhukova.
At stake is his estimated £11 billion fortune but 39 year old Abramovich - the 11th richest man in the world - insists his marriage is not in crisis.
Sources have told the Mail that Mrs Abramovich has already consulted solicitor Raymond 'Jaws' Tooth and engaged the services of barrister Nicholas Mostyn QC, nicknamed Mr Payout, in any court battle.
Notoriously private Abramovich rarely comments on his personal life but spokesman John Mann, speaking in Moscow, issued a statement flatly denying the 'hurtful' reports.
He said: "A series of inaccurate and hurtful reports have recently appeared in the media regarding the Abramovich family and we feel compelled to set the record straight.
"No member of the Abramovich family has filed suit for divorce nor have they retained the law firm Sears Tooth or any other law firm regarding a possible divorce.
"Suggestions that the Abramoviches are facing serious difficulties are similarly untrue. We regret these unwelcome intrusions into the Abramoviches personal lives and ask the media to respect the family's privacy."
Russia's Echo Moscow radio station also carried an Abramovich denial, quoting a telephone conversation between the Russian and his friend, the station's editor in chief Aleksey Venediktov.
Asked about stories that his wife was consulting divorce lawyers, Mr Venediktov said Abramovic replied: "No member of our family has brought an action nor has any member of our family started any legal processes concerning any issue against each other."
The Abramoviches have been married 15 years and are based in the UK with their five children. In London alone the football-mad billionaire is believed to own at least six properties worth more than £30 million and a 400-acre Sussex estate with an estimated value of £18 million. He has several gigantic yachts worth around £150 million, ownership of Chelsea FC, and a business empire worth billions.
One report yesterday suggested Abramovich - whose fortune was based on oil - is about to launch a new steel empire, recently spending £2 billion in one transaction, in a bid to create a metals fortune rivalling the £15 billion net worth of steel king Lakshmi Mittal, the third richest man in the world.
Business sources said the Russian's plans needed not only huge amounts of cash, but complete clarity over ownership of his £10.8 billion assets.
Nobody was available for comment at the Park Lane, London, offices of Mr Tooth. The 65 year old solicitor has Cheryl Barrymore, Sadie Frost and Eimar Montgomerie among his former divorce clients while Mr Mostyn is representing Sir Paul McCartney in his divorce from Heather Mills.
Irina Abramovich,39, has been with her husband since he was a struggling businessman and if she went ahead with divorce proceedings could argue that her contribution to the marriage entitled her to half his vast fortune.
Any contested action might also be potentially embarrassing for Abramovich if he were forced to disclose the source and whereabouts of his billions.