Fiji Hands Over Russian Oligarch's $300 Million Superyacht to the U.S.

Fijian law enforcement executed a U.S. seizure warrant of the yacht the "Amadea," owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov. The $30 million yacht is currently headed to the United States.

"The United States is deeply grateful to the Fijian police and prosecutors whose perseverance and dedication to the rule of law made this action possible," Department of Justice spokesperson Anthony Coley said in a tweet.

Kerimov has an estimated net worth of $14.5 billion, and was first sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018. He was sanctioned by the European Union in March 2022. According to the U.S. Treasury, Kerimov is "part of a group of Russian oligarchs who profit from the Russian government through corruption and its malign activity around the globe, including the occupation of Crimea."

Chief Justice Kamal Kumar of Fiji's Supreme Court said keeping the superyacht in Lautoka harbor was "costing the Fijian government dearly." Kumar added that the Amadea "sailed into Fiji waters without any permit and most probably to evade prosecution by the United States of America."

U.S. officials declared the seizure a victory. U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said, "This ruling should make clear that there is no hiding place for the assets of individuals who violate U.S. laws. And there is no hiding place for the assets of criminals who enable the Russian regime. The Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to hold accountable those who facilitate the death and destruction we are witnessing in Ukraine."

Garland was not alone in applauding the Fiji court's decision. "This seizure of Suleiman Kerimov’s vessel, the Amadea, nearly 8,000 miles from Washington, D.C., symbolizes the reach of the Department of Justice as we continue to work with our global partners to disrupt the sense of impunity of those who have supported corruption and the suffering of so many" Andrew Adams, director of task force KleptoCapture, said in a statement. "This Task Force will continue to bring to bear every resource available in this unprecedented, multinational series of enforcement actions against the Russian regime and its enablers."

According to the Associated Press, the Amadea is a 348-foot-long boat, and it includes "a live lobster tank, a hand-painted piano, a swimming pool and a large helipad."

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