Seized Russian-owned yacht Amadea finally sets sail from Fiji under U.S. control
, 2022-06-07 02:00:00,
The Amadea, a Russian-owned superyacht, set sail from Fiji Tuesday bearing a U.S. flag, ending weeks of legal and administrative hurdles that had stalled American efforts to seize the $300 million vessel it says is owned by a sanctioned oligarch.
U.S. Justice Department officials had been stymied by a frenzied legal effort by the Amadea’s owner to contest the American seizure warrant, and a yacht crew that refused to sail for the U.S.
Fiji’s Supreme Court ultimately weighed in Tuesday, clearing the U.S. to take the 348-foot ship. The Amadea boasts luxury features such as a helipad, a mosaic-tiled pool, a lobster tank and a pizza oven, nestled in a décor of “delicate marble and stones” and “precious woods and delicate silk fabrics,” according to court documents.
Osman Uras/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The ship was targeted by the Justice Department’s Kleptocapture task force, a team devoted to seizing the luxury assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs, as part of U.S. efforts to punish Russia for its deadly war in Ukraine. Legislation supported by President Biden that has passed the House of Representatives, but not the Senate, would allow the U.S. to sell the Amadea and direct the proceeds toward the Ukraine war and recovery effort.
,
To read the original article, go to Click here