Russian Superyacht Arrives in Hawaii After US Seizure Order

A superyacht seized in Fiji final month on the request of U.S. authorities, who say the $300 million Amadea is owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, has arrived in Hawaii, Refinitiv Eikon vessel monitoring information confirmed.

The U.S. Justice Division’s KleptoCapture activity drive has targeted on seizing yachts and different luxurious property of Russian oligarchs in a bid to strain Russian President Vladimir Putin over the struggle in Ukraine.

The 106-meter (350-foot) yacht left Fiji’s Lautoka port final week after the Pacific island nation’s Supreme Court docket dominated the yacht ought to depart the nation as a result of it was expensive for the federal government to keep up it.

Information from Refinitiv present the vessel moored in Honolulu on Thursday afternoon.

It had arrived in Fiji, the place it was seized, on April 13 after an 18-day voyage from Mexico. The FBI stated in an affidavit that the vessel turned off its automated data programs on Feb. 24, nearly instantly after Russia invaded Ukraine, as a part of an effort to keep away from seizure.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “particular navy operation.”

Legal professionals for the Amadea’s proprietor, Cayman Islands-registered Millemarin Funding Ltd., advised a Fiji courtroom that the Amadea was not owned by Kerimov however by one other Russian oligarch who has not been sanctioned, the previous Rosneft chief Eduard Khudainatov.

The USA alleges Kerimov is the Amadea’s true helpful proprietor, however a lot of the proof within the April 13 seizure warrant is redacted within the model launched to the general public.

Kerimov was sanctioned by the US in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia’s actions in Syria and Ukraine. He has additionally been sanctioned by the European Union.

The Amadea beforehand sailed underneath the Cayman Islands flag, in keeping with public delivery database Equasis. Eikon information confirmed it arrived in Hawaii flying the U.S. flag.

By Luc Cohen