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Fiji asks the US to take away the Russian superyacht because of expensive maintenance costs

Fiji asked the US to take the Russian superyacht to leave because of expensive maintenance costs - Photo 1.

Superyacht Amadea moored at Lautoka wharf, Fiji – Photo: FIJITIMES

The ruling comes amid an unresolved legal dispute over the seizure of the ship.

According to Reuters news agency, the US Justice Department’s KleptoCapture task force has focused on seizing yachts and other luxury assets of Russian tycoons, in an attempt to pressure President Vladimir Putin on ” special military operation” in Ukraine.

The superyacht mentioned in the Fiji court ruling is called Amadea, 106 meters long. The ship arrived in the south Pacific nation of Fiji on April 13 after an 18-day journey from Mexico.

Amadea was detained by Fijian authorities after the country’s Supreme Court agreed to a US seizure order last month, on the grounds that the yacht was related to Russian financier Suleiman Kerimov. Mr. Kerimov is one of the Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the US for “special military operation” in Ukraine.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the $ 300 million ship above has an operating cost of $ 25 to 30 million a year, and the US will pay to maintain the ship after seizure.

However, the Government of Fiji still had to bear this cost while Millemarin Investments Company, the owner of the ship, filed an appeal with the Fiji court.

On June 7, the Fiji Supreme Court ruled that Amadea must “go out of Fijian waters” because “the Fiji government has spent too much money” on maintenance of the ship.

The Fijian prosecutor said Amadea has been handed over to US authorities and will leave Fiji.

Although the US accused Mr. Kerimov of benefiting from owning the Amadea superyacht, the ship’s lawyers denied this and told the court that Amadea was owned by another Russian tycoon. It is Mr. Eduard Khudainatov – former director of the Russian energy giant Rosneft – who is not on the US sanctions list.

Last month, another $700 million yacht believed to be owned by Mr. Khudainatov was seized by Italian police.

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