Saif Alrubie, a football agent, is on trial for allegedly sending a threatening email to Marina Granovskaia, a former Chelsea director. Alrubie claims he was owed a commission from the transfer of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea to West Ham in 2021 and demanded payment from Granovskaia. The prosecution alleges that Alrubie implied in the email that Granovskaia might face the same fate as another agent, Kia Joorabchian, who was allegedly accosted over a payment dispute. Alrubie denies threatening physical intimidation or violence, claiming he only intended to threaten legal action. He also expressed dismay at being arrested on the day of the Queen’s funeral and compared himself to drug lord Pablo Escobar.
