US court decides fate of oligarch Kerimov’s superyacht: Putin’s confidant slows down process

A US court is deciding whether the government can sell the seized yacht of Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov.

The legal proceedings over the possible sale of the $300 million superyacht Amadea are still ongoing, Bloomberg reports.

The court is considering whether the vessel belongs to sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov (according to the government) or to former Rosneft chief Eduard Khudainatov, who is challenging the seizure of the yacht.

According to the US Department of Justice, the real owner of the vessel is Kerimov, who purchased the vessel through shell companies. His family used the yacht and planned to refit it.

Khudainatov, who is not under sanctions, claims ownership of the vessel: he allegedly financed the construction of the yacht for $232 million and is its legal owner.

The Southern District of New York Court must decide whether the United States government will be able to permanently seize the yacht and reduce the costs of its maintenance.

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Previously, USM reported that US citizens pay $600 thousand per month for the maintenance of the superyacht “Amadea”. As of the end of 2024, these costs have already reached $30 million.

Recall that in April 2023, Fijian police detained the yacht Amadea and its crew. In May, the Fijian Supreme Court granted a motion to seize the yacht.In October 2023, the New York prosecutor’s office filed a lawsuit to seize the 106-meter superyacht “Amadea” worth more than $300 million