The United States is pushing for the forfeiture of a $300 million superyacht allegedly controlled by Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, who has been under U.S. sanctions. Fiji authorities had seized the 348-foot (106-meter) Amadea yacht in May 2022 following a U.S. warrant.
According to a complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice is initiating a legal process to gain ownership of the yacht, currently docked in San Diego, with plans to auction it and transfer the proceeds to Ukraine. Kerimov, known for his stake in Russian gold producer Polyus, has faced U.S. sanctions since 2014 and 2018 due to Russia’s involvement in Syria and Ukraine. Despite the allegations, the yacht’s owners will have the opportunity to contest the claims in court.
Meanwhile, lawyers for the Amadea’s owner, Millemarin Investments, have previously asserted that the superyacht belongs to former Rosneft chief Eduard Khudainatov, who has not faced any sanctions. However, the U.S. prosecutors have accused the yacht’s apparent transfer of ownership to a newly incorporated company, Errigan Marine, as an attempt to disguise the true owner, labeling it as a “straw owner.”
Khudainatov has taken legal action against the United States, claiming that the seizure of the Amadea was driven by political motives, as stated by his lawyer, Adam Ford. As the legal battle unfolds, the case highlights the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Russia, casting a shadow over the high-stakes world of international sanctions and legal maneuvering.
