A Russian man with a North Carolina address is at the center of a “bizarre” grand theft case involving two boats stolen within hours of each other in Florida, including a $2.5 million luxury yacht, according to investigators.
Nikolai Vilka was arrested Monday, May 5, during a dramatic boat chase that ended when multiple patrol boats combined forces to shove the 68-foot yacht into the mangroves, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said at a news conference.
Vilka, whose last known address is in Charlotte, told investigators he does not speak English, prompting the Department of Homeland Security to provide a Russian interpreter, officials said…