Germany's largest bank was searched. The investigation is linked to Abramovich's companies

On Wednesday, January 28, the German Federal Criminal Police Office conducted searches at Deutsche Bank's headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and at the bank's branch in Berlin. This was reported by German media outlets Süddeutsche Zeitung and Der Spiegel.

The investigation concerns alleged money laundering, which, according to media reports, involved a Russian businessman Roman Abramovich. Der Spiegel's sources called the investigation "highly classified."

The Frankfurt am Main Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that it is conducting an investigation "against as yet unidentified officials and employees of Deutsche Bank". Law enforcers assume that the bank has maintained business relations with foreign companies in the past, which are allegedly "used for money laundering purposes."

The agency refused to disclose additional details of the investigation.

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the bank was late in providing the authorities with information about the activities of a number of companies. The investigation concerns transactions made between 2013 and 2018. That is, the prosecutor's office should have no claims either to violate the sanctions regime (Abramovich was sanctioned by the EU in 2022) or to the current head of the bank, Christian Süing, notes Bloomberg.

Abramovich's lawyer said that his client was not aware of any investigation by the German authorities in this regard, and that the businessman "has always acted in full compliance with national and international law".

Deutsche Bank confirmed that investigative measures were being taken at its premises and said it was cooperating with the authorities. The bank declined to comment further.

The searches took place a day before a press conference at which Deutsche Bank's management is expected to report its highest profit in recent years. Amid reports of the investigation, the bank's shares fell by about 3%.

In recent years, Deutsche Bank has been repeatedly fined for delayed reporting of suspected money laundering cases.

For example, Deutsche Bank paid a fine of EUR 7 million for alleged transactions involving a relative of the ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in which it participated as a correspondent bank.

• In December 2025, the United Kingdom gave Abramovich one last chance transfer money from sale of the Chelsea football club Ukraine.