Saif Rubie, a soccer agent, is currently on trial in a London court over an email he sent to Marina Granovskaia, a senior director at Chelsea Football Club.
In the email, Rubie demanded a six-figure commission for the transfer of French defender Kurt Zouma from Chelsea to West Ham the previous year.
Prosecutors allege that Rubie’s email contained a veiled threat, referencing an incident involving another soccer agent, Kia Joorabchian, who was reportedly accosted and threatened for money in the past.
Granovskaia, who served as Chelsea’s director of football under former owner Roman Abramovich, testified that Rubie’s email made her feel threatened.
Rubie has pleaded not guilty to one charge under the Malicious Communications Act. He maintains that his email was not intended as a threat but rather as a warning of potential legal action against Chelsea or Granovskaia.
Rubie emphasized to jurors that he would never intentionally threaten someone in Granovskaia’s position, considering her association with Abramovich, a powerful figure in the business world. He described the idea of threatening her as a “suicide mission.”
Rubie’s trial continues, with him set to conclude his evidence today.
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