Judge lifts stay on subpoenas in yacht dispute case involving Antigua’s PM

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SOURCE: CARIBBEAN LOOP NEWS- A federal judge has lifted the temporary stay on subpoenas in the ongoing legal battle between Russian national Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov and Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne regarding a luxury yacht.

Judge Jesse M Furman of the Southern District of New York ruled that the subpoenas can proceed, but with strict privacy protections in place. In his decision, Judge Furman stated: “Upon review of the parties’ letters, the Court concludes that the proper way to balance Applicant’s interest in avoiding unnecessary delay and Movants’ privacy interests is to lift the stay and require production subject to a protective order.”

The judge’s ruling mandates that “any responses to the Subpoenas are to be held on an Attorneys-Eyes-Only basis until further order of the Court and are to be destroyed to the extent that the Court grants a motion to quash.”

The parties have been directed to “confer and, no later than April 25, 2025, file a proposed protective order.”

The legal dispute centres on the Alfa Nero yacht, which was acquired by the Antiguan government after reportedly being abandoned in Antiguan waters for over two years.

The vessel was subsequently sold for $40 million to what sources describe as an unidentified “Turkish billionaire.”

The lawsuit filed not only challenges the yacht’s purchase price but also questions how the proceeds from the sale were utilized.

Guryeva-Motlokhov, who claims to be the rightful owner of the vessel, had filed a response on April 21 requesting the court to lift its previous stay order.

Her legal team argued that “there is no need for a stay here because both subpoena recipients have stated that their response time is 10-12 weeks at best, leaving ample time to address the pending motions to quash without staying compliance.”

Her attorneys further contended that keeping the stay in place would “ensure months of delay if these motions are denied” and expressed concerns that the stay requests were “a political manoeuvre intended to freeze this action while Browne threatens Applicant with defamation lawsuits as part of his re-election campaign.”

The subpoenas in question were initially issued to two wire transfer clearing houses for records related to 19 individuals and entities, including Prime Minister Browne, several Antiguan officials, and the West Indies Oil Company.

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