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SOURCE: HEADLINEUSA- On the heels of Russia invading Ukraine, the Justice Department announced in May 2022 that it seized a 348-foot luxury vessel owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov—touting the move as a major win against Russia’s corrupt oligarchy.
“This yacht seizure should tell every corrupt Russian oligarch that they cannot hide,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said at the time.
While the Biden-Harris administration may still be happy for sticking it to a Russian billionaire, U.S. taxpayers might not be so pleased about having to foot the bill.
According to an investigation from the Washington Post, the upkeep of the billionaire’s boat, the Amedea, has cost U.S. taxpayers some $30 million since May 2022. The DOJ reportedly confirmed that figure.
The Post reported Thursday that the U.S. ran into difficulties as soon as it seized the Amedea because the DOJ did not yet have permission from Fiji’s courts to bring the yacht back to U.S. shores.
“The Fiji courts authorized transfer of the boat in June, but costs to U.S. taxpayers were only beginning,” the Post reported. “Another Russian billionaire who is not under sanctions, Eduard Khudainatov, has claimed that he is in fact the yacht’s owner and that the federal government would be breaking the law by selling property that is rightfully his.”
The U.S. continues incurring costs as it now fights a court battle over the yacht’s ownership.
Court filings described the boat’s upkeep requirements, including that its pool, silk carpets and silk furnishings “be kept in a consistent air-conditioned environment,” that “regularly scheduled washing” protect its multimillion-dollar paint job, and that a “specialized live-in crew” staff the boat for upkeep, according to the Post.
The Post also reported that U.S. law prevents the government from liquidating Russian oligarch assets worth more than $500,000 without due process.
The Amadea reportedly remains anchored at the port of San Diego as of Wednesday.
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This has nothing to do with antigua so why are we even publishing this ANR?
@whatever.
This was done on purpose because they know Antiguans do not read before offering their opinions, so they figured that we would just read the headlines and assume it was about the Nero.
At least it is good to know that some of us do read.
@Whenever – To show that Gaston is not the only one that hand too fast
This is a mitigation against the bad public image of Gaston brown in the eyes of Antiguans voters and the world, a work ANR a work for it’s owner the ALP so what you expect, go ahead and create this benign atmosphere about the Russian boat.
The USA is seeking the money spent on maintaining the Yacht. They are not selling it.
Antigua News Room:Are you being paid by Gaston Browne? The United States did not sell any of those Super Yachts. What the United States is doing. That is what Gaston Browne should have done. He grabbed that boat and sold it. Now, my place of birth is in a deep freaking mess, because of you.We the people are going to be paying back those millions. We the people should not be paying for your legal fees.
The order that was given by the Court with reference to persons in Antigua & Barbuda, the same order which parties are trying to quash, did it have to do with maintenance recovery money?
Am I correct in understanding that a Court was convinced to give an order to look into certain financial records?
Red-Herring nar work dis time ya.
Hmmmm. Antiguans are really dumb…..! No brain, or rather one that seems wired to twist and spin reality into hateful, spiteful contortions of the truth, (simply called lies) before excretion same through their various squawk boxes. What a shame that an island, once renowned for its intelligent and resourceful population, stands now like some sort of mosaic clump of loud-mouth, foul-mouthed, nasty, badminded , even evil people, with no love or respect for what was once OURS. Much as I hate to do it, I now understand and support that clown Donald Tru.mp in his efforts to restore the basic characteristics of what America once stood for. It might be too late for Antigua.
Printing this story to say what?
Looking for justification for the seizure, larceny and sale of Alfa Nero?
I once had a friend who told me that what it cost to keep a yacht docked at Jolly Harbour for a year is what it cost to keep it docked in America for a day.
America has more than one super yacht on their hands.
If it costs US$30 million a year justify the US$5 million Gassy said we paid per year for the two years Alfa Nero was on our hands.
US$30 million is lunch for a one year old toddler when you consider the size of the American economy.
It would not be noticed if it was stolen.
US$5 million is between one and five percent of our GDP.
We knew what is was going to cost us before seizing the people’s yacht.
However like coke addicts we dribble at the thought and sound of big money.
We compounded the problem by giving indemnity to the receiver of the yacht.
Note I didn’t say purchaser because if a US$120 mollion vessel was sold for US$40 million that’s a give away.
So now to justify the give away we are trying to say it was too much of a burden on our treasury.
Richard Lewis warned against the seizure and sale.
Sherfield Bowens cautioned against the greed and desire for quick, big money.
Even WOT Pringle added his voice against the seizure and subsequent give away of the vessel.
Today our government is grasping at straws to save their butts and hide their unsafisfiable greed.
What does this have to do with Antigua and the situation the PM got himself in?
This is exactly what the Gaston Browne, ABLP led administration should’ve done; that is, send the Alfa Nero to American territorial waters (Puerto Rico and the USVI). This would’ve shift the burden of upkeep to the American taxpayers, as is the case with this yacht mentioned, in this report. Ill n addition, it would have avoided all of these litigations regarding the Alfa Nero and the costs to Antigua & Barbuda taxpayers.
The question, as it pertains to this article why didn’t the Fiji Government or the American government SELL this yacht? It’s obvious, that they recognized the complexity(s) of doing so.
This could even strengthen the Russians case, against the PM and other litigants.
I am quite disappointed in ANR. Publishing this article amidst the ongoing saga shows some clear bias in what should be an unbiased journalism platform. Perhpas the dollars flow in this direcrion as well.
If Gatson Browne thinks this Article helped his case in the Alpha Nero, he’s totally wrong!
Here is the big elephant in the room Gatson, America couldn’t sell the boat, and are now seeking to recover their money for the upkeep. Why they couldn’t sell it Gatson, because there are laws that prevents them against such.
Same thing you were advised Gatson, same thing. Many of us on here told you to just charge the man for the upkeep, and get rid of the yacht by working out deal with the very same US who sanctioned the Russians.
See what the US did Gatson, they didn’t go by their feelings, they followed the law.
You got way ahead of yourself and went to parliament to circumvent laws in your parliament that totally go against international sanctioned laws.
Well Gatson, the lessons here is, no matter how big you think you are, you are still a small fish swimming in shark infested waters. Stop reaching further than your hand can reach.
If America couldn’t sell the boats, then who are you Gatson?
Are you trying to say you know more than the international community?
This man got caught in a bad position,and he made the wrong move.
Just admit that Gatson and move on, you will be forgiven. But I guess your pride is too big for that.
“The dunning kruger effect” is always at play with this man Gatson. Smh.