U.S. Seeks To Seize $300 Million Yacht From Putin-Allied Russian Oligarch

The United States filed a civil forfeiture complaint for the Amadea, a 348-foot yacht owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov.

The Department of Justice argued the $300 million yacht is forfeitable since it was “improved and maintained” in violation of sanctions against Kerimov and his allies.

Kerimov has been identified as a strong ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kerimov is alleged to have arranged to purchase the yacht in September 2021, after sanctions were imposed, through “a series of transfers between shell companies designed to conceal his ownership of the yacht.”

The DOJ claimed that Kerimov traveled on the yacht and made plans for “extensive renovations” and “assumed all liability and responsibility for the Amadea’s upkeep.”

“During that time, individuals or entities acting on Kerimov’s behalf accrued U.S. dollar-denominated costs for the Amadea’s upkeep and sent or caused to be sent through the U.S. financial systems, payments in violation of applicable sanctions,” the DOJ said in a press release.

Amadea is currently docked in San Diego and under U.S. control.

“The filing of this complaint exemplifies that the United States takes sanction evasion seriously and will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that sanctioned individuals are held accountable for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams in a statement.