Antiguan Prime Minister Seeks to Quash US Court Subpoenas in High-Profile Yacht Case
Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne and several government officials have asked a US federal court to quash subpoenas seeking six years of their financial records, arguing that the request is an abuse of process driven by political motives rather than legitimate legal grounds.
In a memorandum of law filed Friday in the Southern District of New York, lawyers for the “Antiguan Movants” — including Prime Minister Browne, his family members, government agencies, and private Antiguan companies — argued that the subpoenas should be withdrawn and a prior court order authorising them vacated.
The subpoenas were issued at the request of Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, daughter of sanctioned Russian oligarch Andrey Guryev. She is seeking financial records from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Clearing House Payments Company as part of a US discovery application under 28 U.S.C. §1782, ostensibly for use in legal proceedings in Antigua and Russia.
However, in their court filing, the Antiguan officials argued that the discovery request is a “bad faith” attempt to defame Prime Minister Browne and damage the country’s reputation, rather than a genuine effort to aid foreign litigation.
“This is not a good faith discovery request. It is a holdup, minus the mask and gun,” the memorandum stated, citing social media posts from Guryeva-Motlokhov’s legal team that accuse Browne of corruption and claim the application aims to expose a “financial web” involving foreign interests hostile to the United States.
The case centres on the 2024 sale of the superyacht Alfa Nero, previously owned by Guryeva-Motlokhov’s father and seized by the Antiguan government under legislation targeting abandoned vessels. The sale followed months of disrepair and the yacht’s designation as blocked property under US sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Antigua secured a licence from the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) before selling the vessel for US$40 million to a Turkish-linked firm. Guryeva-Motlokhov has since challenged the legality of the seizure and filed lawsuits in Antigua and Russia. A third action, reportedly contemplated in the United Arab Emirates, has yet to materialise.
The Antiguan Movants contend that the subpoenas are irrelevant to any of the ongoing cases and instead seek to obtain every wire transfer in which the Movants are mentioned since 2019 — years before the yacht’s sale.
Their lawyers argued that:
- The Antiguan trial has concluded, with judgment pending and no opportunity for new evidence.
- The Russian case targets the yacht’s buyers and has no connection to Antiguan officials.
- No proceedings have begun in the UAE, and any potential prosecution would be at the discretion of local authorities, not Guryeva-Motlokhov.
They further warned that granting such broad access to confidential banking information could harm Antigua’s financial reputation and potentially disrupt its access to international banking systems.
The court filing asked the judge to reject the discovery application and prevent what it characterised as “an attempt at extortion” disguised as legal process.
The case, In re Application of Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, continues before US District Judge Jesse M. Furman. No date has yet been set for a hearing on the Antiguan Movants’ motion.
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The time of exposure is near.
What has been hidden in plain sight will now be brought into the light by the spirit of truth.
It seems PM Browne, Brown family, and other defendants are confessing to wrong doings to the US District court?
I must say that if what this news article is saying is what was argued by PM Browne, his family, and the other Antiguan defendants, then they (PM Browne, Antigua and all other defendants) are truly in for trouble.
This brief in support of their application, objecting to the issuance of the subpoena, is tremendously weak and highly self-incriminating.
The plaintiff will argue that if defendants are operating legally, then their arguments have no basis. If they (PM Browne, PM Browne’s family, Antigua and other defendants) are not operating legally then it is highly likely that the requesting party will be able to demonstrate that the subpoena is necessary and relevant to the pending case, and it must be issued.
PM Browne’s attorney application in objection conveying to a reasonable and prudent judge that his clients are criminals, and the information the plaintiff is looking for is likely in such records. The attorney is basically saying please do not make these institutions release these records because the criminality in the records will damage us severely because we are criminals.
Why on earth would PM Browne, PM Browne’s family, Antigua and other defendants’ attorney would object to the subpoena in this manner?
The response from PM Browne’s attorney to the court only makes plaintiff’s request for the subpoena seems reasonably calculated to elicit information relevant to the pending case and other proceedings.
The information sought seems highly necessary to the case and not unduly burdensome or oppressive (as hiding a crime or other malfeasance are not proper defenses as the objection the PM’S attorney conveys).
FRCP 45 provides protections for persons subject to subpoenas, which includes the right to object to subpoenas that are unreasonable or require the disclosure of privileged information. The rule also allows for quashing or modifying subpoenas that impose undue burden or expense.
Here, no effective arguments were made by the defendants (PM Browne, PM Browne’s family, Antigua, and other defendants) were made based on the article I read on this online news portal.
I am starting to be afraid for what high level of criminality, deception and fraud that seem to exist by PM Browne, PM Browne’s family, Antigua and other defendants based on what their own representation have expressed to a US Federal court.
Please see the article I read below. Why would they structure their arguments this way and use these arguments? They are conceding fraud, theft, misappropriation, etcetera?
https://antiguanewsroom.com/lawyers-for-pm-browne-and-others-file-documents-in-us-court-to-quash-subpoenas-in-alfa-nero-case/
The man doesn’t give a damn about little Antigua politics, the man want back his boat.
You had no right to sell the man boat Gatson, none.
You should have just listened to us and charge the man for the upkeep of the boat, but no, your pigheaded arse don’t listen, because you think you are smarter than everyone else..
What a fool Antigua has as PM, always reaching father that his hands can reach, why?
We are a small island Gatson, we can’t afford this kind of scrutiny, but look what your ignorance has brought up on your people.
I warned y’all that this man would be the scourge of Antigua, and many thought I was just talking hate.
No, I love my island more than any damn licky licky politician.
It is now imperative that Prime Minister Browne steps away and handover the reigns to a Cabinet Member, so that he can pursue and fight these allegations in regards to the Alpha Nero super yacht financial impropriety.
In stepping aside, this will ensure that Browne will use HIS own finances, rather than the tax payers money.
If he’s so confident that he has a cast iron case, then tax-paying Antiguans will have no problems with this confident move by Browne. Simple!
I’d love to witness his same said confidence, credence and conviction when using his own financial resources … and NOT ours!!!
Furthermore, if you want the best for Antigua & Barbuda you would do this.
Does everyone forget that the boat was sanctioned and it was sitting idly in our waters for months. Why is the opposition working with Russian agents backed by Putin to destroy our little country? They might as well go and live in Russia.
Why are you so determined to put a sudden end to this court request?
If only you would just supply the documents you would look so big, clean and honest in the eyes of the world.
You have consistently said that you do not have money.
You have consistently said that you are not corrupt.
You have been pellucid that you have never accepted a bribe.
You have portrayed yourself a the definition of honesty and purity.
So why are you putting up such a fight?
Are you afraid that we will find the Odabrecht euros hidden or that it passed through your account?
What could you be so fearful of having that request expose?
Only a man with skeletons in his closet is afraid to have the doors swing open widely.
Doth thou not portest too much!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lawyers?
For PM Browne?
And others?
Was PM Browne sued or was Gaston Browne sued?
PM would indicate in his official capacity.
Gaston Browne would indicate personal capacity.
The state is duty bound to defend the actions of PMBrowne.
Not the actions of Gaston Browns.
Who is paying the lawyers?
If a cent is used or taken or stolen or given in the defense of any of the persons named in that siut it is a criminal act.
The person whose signature is affixed to a cheque to pay those lawyers would be an accomplice to a crime of not the sole accused.
Take a clos look at what happened to the French President.
Look, listen and learn.
The people identified in that suit are Gaston Browne’s inner circle and family and extended family
The state has no obligation to defend their corruption.
@ANR – Editor’s 🖖🏾 #Trump_2, shall pass too!
Unfortunately, for Gaston Browne and the other defendants Alfa Nero Nightmare will outlast #Trump and his DOGe guard dog Elon too!
As Mama would say, U mek U bed, lay dung in dey, and no hang U hat, wey U cyant retch um!
ANR – Your editors should try and stifle the International Press, as they cover the Gaston and The Alfa Nero Saga. Even Wikipedia has their spin on it.
To those again, #who’re bawling UNPATRIOTISM must submit themselves for a psychiatric analysis. In the mean time, it’s best Gaston, and the other accused take a LIE DETECTOR aka POLYGRAPH TEST in public by Dr. Phil LIVE on the Dr. Phil Show. It might serve a better purpose, than this submission by their lawyers, to squash a simple subpoena/warrant. If there’s nothing to hide, let them search 👀 smile and laughter should be the order of the day, rather than looking like headless 🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔in a Obeah Seance.
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The beauty of the Moss Philox blended with an array of colourful daffodils and tulips are a sight to behold.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏾Garrat Bastard
Vere C. Edwards