A Russian-owned superyacht that allegedly sailed to Fiji to avoid seizure was returned to the United States after a court upheld an FBI warrant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For months, US authorities had been tracking the 106m (350ft) Amadea, which was linked to sanctioned oligarch Suleiman Kerimov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agents boarded the boat upon its arrival in Fiji in April, but the boat’s owner filed a legal challenge to prevent the seizure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They claimed the warrant violated local law on the Pacific islands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, on Tuesday, Fiji’s Supreme Court rejected that argument and ordered the boat’s removal, stating that the giant yacht’s docking in Lautoka had cost the local government “a lot of money.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who are the Russian billionaires targeted by sanctions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The hunt for sanctioned Russian superyachts<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United Kingdom seizes the first superyacht in British waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In their submission, US authorities argued that the $300 million (\u00a3238 million) boat would cost about $25-30 million per year to operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The boat should be removed for the sake of the public, according to Chief Justice Kamal Kumar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He discovered that the ship had entered Fijian waters “without any permit and most likely to avoid prosecution by the United States.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The legal team for the boat’s registered owners, Millemarin Investments, argued that the boat did not belong to Mr Kerimov but rather to another Russian businessman who is not facing sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, US authorities claim that Mr Kerimov still has a beneficial relationship with the boat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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