US authorities believe that the yacht “is subject to confiscation because it is derived from proceeds derived from violations of sanctions laws.” According to the US Department of Justice, which is a co-plaintiff, in 2021, that is, after Kerimov was sanctioned, “with the help of a third party, he entered into an agreement to purchase a yacht, from that moment Kerimov and other persons acting on his behalf spent hundreds thousands of dollars for the maintenance of the yacht, transferring money through US financial institutions, these transactions violated the imposed sanctions, and without them Amadea could not remain an operational vessel.” Over the course of a year and a half, expenses on the yacht amounted to more than $2 million.
The prosecutor’s office established that the transaction for the sale of the yacht took place with the help of the company Imperial Yachts, and was carried out through a chain of resales, where in one of the transactions Amadea was sold for 1 euro. The Imperial Yachts company provides services to wealthy Russians “to conceal ownership of yachts,” and the president of the company is Russian Evgeniy Kochman.
The plaintiffs prove that the sale is fictitious and Kerimov continues to own the Amadea yacht by the fact that at the beginning of 2022. “Members of the Kerimov family spent several days on board the yacht, during which time one of Kerimov’s children requested design changes to the yacht in accordance with those changes that the owner of the yacht, his family or representative can make.” In addition, US law enforcement officers found documents on the yacht confirming Kerimov’s ownership, including “Kerimov’s guest manifest.” It was reported that a Faberge egg was found on the yacht, but its fate is unknown.
After the arrest of the yacht, lawyers for the company that owned the yacht stated that Amadea belongs to the ex-head of Rosneft Eduard Khudainatov, but he is not mentioned in the lawsuit.
Amadea’s cost is estimated at between $300 million and $500 million.
Kerimov came under sanctions in April 2018. He, the plaintiffs note, made his fortune through his stake in the gold mining company Polyus Gold (Polyus Gold) and other commodity companies, and he is also a member of the Federation Council.
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