Additional Coverage:
- The US seized a Russian oligarch’s 348-foot, $325 million superyacht — and now it’s up for grabs (businessinsider.com)
San Diego – A luxurious superyacht seized from a Russian oligarch will soon have a new owner. The US government is auctioning off the Amadea, a 348-foot vessel seized in 2022 from sanctioned billionaire Suleiman Kerimov.
Built in 2017, the six-deck yacht boasts opulent amenities, including eight staterooms for up to 16 guests, a 32-foot swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a private cinema, a helipad, and quarters for a 36-member crew. Bob Toney, chairman of National Maritime Services, described the Amadea as “perhaps the most spectacular, exacting and beautiful ship any of us will ever see.”
Interested buyers must submit a sealed bid by September 10th and provide a deposit of 10 million euros (approximately $11.6 million USD). The winning bidder is promised a “substantial discount” on the yacht’s original $325 million price tag. According to a representative of Fraser Yachts, the broker handling the sale, the Amadea remains in pristine condition, “virtually untouched” since its seizure off the coast of Fiji in May 2022.
The seizure was part of a larger effort to target assets of Russian oligarchs following the invasion of Ukraine. At the time, then-Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco issued a stern warning: “This yacht seizure should tell every corrupt Russian oligarch that they cannot hide — not even in the remotest part of the world.”