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Spain seizes another Russian yacht believed to belong to an oligarch.

The ship was impounded in the Spanish port of Tarragona pending an inspection to establish its exact ownership, Spain’s transport ministry said.

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By Raphael Minder and Michael Forsythe

• March 16, 2022

MADRID — Spain, which has pledged to seize the suspected superyachts of Russian oligarchs targeted for sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on Wednesday impounded the third such vessel, one of the world’s biggest superyachts, in Spanish territorial waters this week.

The ship was impounded in the Spanish port of Tarragona, pending an inspection to establish its exact ownership, Spain’s transport ministry said in a statement. The ship, called the Crescent, was registered in the Cayman Islands.

The Spanish authorities have taken similar measures against two other yachts, the Valerie, which was in a maintenance yard in Barcelona, and Lady Anastasia, a yacht that was moored in Port Adriano, on the Spanish island of Majorca.

Spain’s hunt for Russian-owned superyachts comes after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the seizure of the Valerie on Monday and warned that “there will be more.”

The transport ministry said on Wednesday that if the inspections confirmed that the yachts belonged to people on the sanctions list drawn up by the European Union, they would remain fully immobilized.

The Valerie is suspected of being indirectly owned by Sergei Chemezov, the head of Rostec, a Russian industrial conglomerate that also makes military technology and equipment. The vessel was one of four Russian-owned superyachts that had recently been undergoing work at MB92, a shipyard that has helped establish Barcelona as one of the main hubs for the extravagant yachts owned by the super wealthy.

The Crescent, valued by the SuperYachtFan website at $600 million, appears to be the sister ship of the slightly larger, slightly more expensive Scheherazade, a 459-foot superyacht that U.S. officials said could be associated with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

Both were built at the same German shipyard, Lurssen, where the Crescent was given the project name “ Thunder ,” while the Scheherazade, put into service about two years later, was called “Lightning.” Both share the same interior and exterior designers and have been managed by a Monaco company, Imperial Yachts, which caters to Russian oligarchs.

The two yachts also share another, unusual characteristic: Photos of the Crescent taken on March 13 by a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, Alex Finley, in the Spanish port where it was impounded appear to show that the Crescent conceals its nameplate while in port, just like the Scheherazade .

Track information on the Crescent from MarineTraffic , a maritime data provider, shows that Crescent spends most of its time in the Mediterranean, cruising between Spain, Italy, France and Montenegro, a popular destination for the yachts of Russian oligarchs. The 445-foot long Crescent, one of the 20 largest superyachts , has been at the Tarragona marina since early November.

Last week Italian police said they were investigating the ownership of the Scheherazade, which is in dry dock at a port on the Tuscany coast.

The Lady Anastasia, which was impounded on the island of Mallorca, is believed to be owned by Alexander Mikheev, a Russian arms dealer. In late February, the police on Majorca detained a Ukrainian member of the yacht’s crew because he had been planning to sink the vessel, in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was released on bail, pending an investigation.

In early March, the French authorities seized a yacht in a yard in La Ciotat, which they said was linked to Igor Sechin, the chief executive of the state oil company Rosneft and a former deputy prime minister of Russia. The French yard is owned by MB92, the Spanish company that owns the yard in Barcelona.

MB92 said at the time that it was cooperating with the French authorities and would respond in due course to any possible further sanctions against Russians. “We are continuously monitoring the decisions taken by the Spanish authorities, the European Union and the U.S. as they come into effect,” the company said.

Raphael Minder covers Spain and Portugal, based in Madrid. He previously worked for Bloomberg News in Switzerland and for the Financial Times in Paris, Brussels, Sydney and finally Hong Kong. More about Raphael Minder

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

clock This article was published more than  2 years ago

Spain impounds a third superyacht amid E.U. crackdown on Russian oligarchs

Spanish authorities have impounded a third superyacht believed to belong to a Russian oligarch, a seizure that is part of a global crackdown on those seen to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Crescent, a yacht registered in the Cayman Islands, had requested to depart the Spanish Port of Tarragona on March 4, authorities said, but it did not set sail. The 443-foot yacht has an estimated value of about $600 million, according to SuperyachtFan , a website tracking luxury yachts, which cited its owner as an “unknown billionaire.”

Governments all over the world are working to identify and freeze the assets of Russian elites and their family members, including luxury apartments, money and yachts. Online sleuths are watching their moves, tweeting names, locations, ownership and the latest status of yachts owned by Russian oligarchs.

The Crescent is supersized even by global elite benchmarks — few of the world’s biggest yachts measure more than 400 feet . It was built by the German shipyard Lürssen , which constructs many of the largest yachts, and reportedly features a retractable helicopter hangar and a big glass-bottomed pool.

Schadenfreude at sea: The Internet is watching with glee as Russian oligarchs’ yachts are seized

Spain’s Transportation Ministry said it was collecting information “to confirm the real ownership” of the vessel and whether control of the ship corresponds to an individual on the list of people and entities sanctioned by the European Council over the war in Ukraine. If it turns out to belong to someone on the sanctions list, it will be “immobilized,” officials said.

Spanish authorities said that so far this week, they have seized the Valerie, in the Port of Barcelona, ​​and the Lady Anastasia in Majorca’s Port Adriano. The former is suspected to be owned by Sergey Chemezov, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a subject of Western sanctions. Chemezov is the head of Rostec, a Russian industrial and military conglomerate.

The United States and its allies have said they will not fight the Russian military directly or support Ukraine’s request for a no-fly zone , which U.S. officials fear could lead to broader war with a nuclear-armed superpower. But they are waging an economic war against the Putin-connected Russian super-elite .

Russian superyachts and aircraft barred from New Zealand under new sanctions

Protesters this week broke into a white stucco mansion in central London belonging to the family of a Russian oligarch, unfurled a Ukrainian flag, and declared the property “liberated” and ready for refugees. Even countries as far as New Zealand have said Russian superyachts and aircraft would be barred from entering its waters and airspace under new sanctions legislation passed in response to the Kremlin invasion.

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The Ministry of Transport has reported this afternoon of a third yacht, presumably Russian property, held in a Spanish port due to the conflict in Ukraine. This is the  Crescent  , a giant with a black hull 135 meters long and 24 meters wide, which has been temporarily immobilized by the Merchant Navy in the port of Tarragona. The Security Forces attribute its property to the Russian oligarch  Igor Ivanovich Sechin  , according to  El País  . He is the chief executive of the  Rosneft  oil company and an intimate of Vladimir Putin.

His presence in Tarragona has been causing a stir for months: a sister ship, the  Scheherazade  , is being investigated in Italy, specifically in Marina di Carrara, as the alleged property of   Putin  himself or of personnel close to the Russian head of state. The value of this type of ship, which includes two heliports and its own hangar, is between 600 and 700 million dollars.

The Crescent megayacht had requested departure from the Maritime Captaincy on the 4th, but  did not set sail  . The Government will now analyze whether it is owned by a company or a billionaire included in the package of sanctioning measures set by the European Union in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Crescent is two years old and sails under  the Cayman Islands flag  . Considered one of the most luxurious yachts in the world, she had been in the Catalan port since November 2. The ship now joins the  Valerie, belonging to the oligarch Sergey Chemezov  (Rosnet), docked in Barcelona, ​​and the  Lady Anastasia  , which different sources attribute to Alexander Mijeev (Rosoboronexport), which is under investigation in Calviá (Mallorca) .

Once again, it will be the Maritime Captaincy, dependent on the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine, who will be in charge of guaranteeing the safety of the ship and its crew. And the investigations will be carried out by the State Tax Administration Agency, institutions dedicated to the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism and State Security Forces and Bodies.

If it is verified that it belongs to a person or entity sanctioned by the European Council  , it will be immobilized  .

• Igor Ivanovich Sechin

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The U.S. government seized a mega yacht in Spain owned by an oligarch with close ties to the Russian president on Monday, the first in the government's sanctions enforcement initiative to "seize and freeze" giant boats and other pricey assets of Russian elites.

Spain's Civil Guard and U.S. federal agents descended on the yacht at the Marina Real in the port of Palma de Mallorca, the capital of Spain's Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Associated Press reporters at the scene saw police going in and out of the boat on Monday morning.

A Civil Guard source told The Associated Press that the immobilized yacht was the Tango, a 78-metre vessel that carries a Cook Islands flag and that Superyachtfan.com, a specialized website that tracks the world's largest and most exclusive recreational boats, set its value at $120 million US.

The yacht is among the assets linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who heads the Moscow-based Renova Group, a conglomerate encompassing metals, mining, tech and other assets, according to U.S. Treasury Department documents. All of Vekselberg's assets in the U.S. are frozen and U.S. companies are forbidden from doing business with him and his entities.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland confirmed the seizure in a statement released by the Justice Department, which estimated the value of the vessel as "at least $90 million."

"Today marks our task force's first seizure of an asset belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian regime. It will not be the last," said Garland. "Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war."

Vekselberg familiar to U.S. officials

Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen have assembled a task force known as REPO — short for Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs — as an effort to enforce sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

Vekselberg has long had ties to the U.S. including a green card he once held and homes in New York and Connecticut. The Ukrainian-born businessman built his fortune by investing in the aluminum and oil industries in the post-Soviet era.

Vekselberg was also questioned in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and has worked closely with his American cousin, Andrew Intrater, who heads the New York investment management firm Columbus Nova.

Vekselberg and Intrater were thrust into the spotlight in the Mueller probe after the lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels released a memo that claimed $500,000 US in hush money was routed through Columbus Nova to a shell company set up by Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. Columbus Nova denied that Vekselberg played any role in its payments to Cohen.

Vekselberg and Intrater met with Cohen at Trump Tower, one of several meetings between members of Trump's inner circle and high-level Russians during the 2016 campaign and transition.

The 64-year-old mogul founded Renova Group more than three decades ago. The group holds the largest stake in United Co. Rusal, Russia's biggest aluminum producer, among other investments.

Vekselberg was first sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018, and again in March of this year, shortly after the invasion of Ukraine began. Vekselberg has also been sanctioned by authorities in the United Kingdom.

• Q&A How an ex-CIA agent is tracking the luxurious superyachts of Russian oligarchs
• Targeting super yachts owned by Russian oligarchs could hit a nerve in Moscow

The U.S. Justice Department has also launched a sanctions enforcement task force known as KleptoCapture, which also aims to enforce financial restrictions in the U.S. imposed on Russia and its billionaires, working with the FBI, Treasury and other federal agencies. That task force will also target financial institutions and entities that have helped oligarchs move money to dodge sanctions.

"Today's seizure of Viktor Vekselberg's yacht, the Tango, in Spain is the result of an unprecedented multinational effort to enforce U.S. sanctions targeting those elites who have enabled Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine," said Andrew Adams, director of that task force. "For those who have tied their fortunes to a brutal and lawless regime, today's action is a message that those nations dedicated to the rule of law are equally dedicated to separating the oligarchs from their tainted luxuries."

The White House has said that many allied countries, including Germany, the U.K., France, Italy and others are involved in trying to collect and share information against Russians targeted for sanctions. In his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden warned oligarchs that, "we are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Other yachts seized

Monday's capture is not the first time Spanish authorities have been involved in the seizure of a Russian oligarch's superyacht. Officials there said they had seized a vessel valued at over $140 million US owned by the CEO of a state-owned defence conglomerate and a close Putin ally.

French authorities have also seized superyachts, including one believed to belong to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, which has been on the U.S. sanctions list since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

$90 Million Yacht of Sanctioned Russian Oligarch Viktor Vekselberg Seized by Spain at Request of United States <a href="https://t.co/plLXnHXdoU">https://t.co/plLXnHXdoU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DOJPH?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOJPH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIMinneapolis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIMinneapolis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HSINewYork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HSINewYork</a> &mdash; @USAO_DC

Italy has also seized several yachts and other assets.

Italian financial police moved quickly seizing the superyacht Lena belonging to Gennady Timchenko, an oligarch close to Putin, in the port of San Remo; the 65-metre Lady M owned by Alexei Mordashov in nearby Imperia, featuring six suites and estimated to be worth 65 million euros; as well as villas in Tuscany and Como, according to government officials.

Russian oligarch Igor Sechin appears to have had a second super-yacht seized after Spain detained a $600 million vessel linked to him

• Spanish authorities reportedly seized a $600 million super-yacht linked to a Russian oligarch. 
• France seized a $120 million yacht linked to the same oligarch, Igor Sechin, two weeks ago.
• European countries have been seizing yachts owned by Russian oligarchs as part of Ukraine sanctions. 

Russian oligarch Igor Sechin appears to have had a second super-yacht seized in the space of as many weeks after Spanish authorities on Wednesday detained a $600 million vessel linked to him.

Spain's transport ministry said Wednesday that it had seized "Crescent," a 443-foot yacht that Reuters later linked to Sechin , citing a police source.

The seizure of Crescent came just two weeks after France detained another super-yacht linked to Sechin , the $120 million Amore Vera. 

Sechin, CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft and a close ally of Vladimir Putin, has been described in Russian media as the country's " Darth   Vader ." He was deputy prime minister of Russia until 2012.

Crescent was docked in the Spanish port of Tarragona when it was impounded, according to a Marine Traffic report . 

The vessel features a multi-level atrium and a retractable helicopter landing pad, according to Superyacht Times , which put its value at $600 million.

Spain's transport ministry confirmed the detention of Crescent to Reuters but didn't comment on the vessel's ownership. The ministry said the yacht would be held until ownership was determined, and whether sanctions applied to its owner.

European nations have been seizing yachts owned by Russian oligarchs as a part of sanctions imposed on them after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. 

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," US President Joe Biden said  in his State of The Union address on March 1. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Some oligarchs appear to be trying to evade sanctions by sending their yachts and jets to places like  Dubai and the Maldives , which do not have extradition treaties with the US.

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Scheherazade: Giant £570m superyacht ‘owned by Vladimir Putin’ is seized by Italian authorities

The ‘scheherazade’ had been undergoing a refit in tuscany since last september, article bookmarked.

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The Italian government has seized a luxury superyacht worth an estimated £570m that is believed to be linked to Russian president Vladimir Putin .

The vessel was impounded as part of the EU’s sanctions against Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine , under which similar yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been confiscated.

The six-deck Scheherazade had been undergoing repairs in the port of Marina di Carrara in Tuscany since last September. Recent activity at the dockside suggested that the crew were preparing to put the yacht to sea, as calls grew for it to be included in the sanctions.

The Italian finance ministry said in a statement that the owner of the yacht had ties to “prominent elements of the Russian government”, without naming them. US officials have previously told The New York Times that the vessel could belong to Mr Putin, though there has been no official confirmation of this.

Supporters of the imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny were also of the belief that the vessel belonged to the Russian president. In a report released in March , an organisation set up by Mr Navalny said it had evidence that the boat belonged to Mr Putin, as several crew members were drawn from Russia’s Federal Protective Service (FSO), which is tasked with protecting the president.

In March, the ship’s British captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, denied that Mr Putin had ever owned or set foot on the Scheherezade . “I have never seen him. I have never met him,” he told the The New York Times .

Days later, Mr Bennett-Pearce said he had been left with “no choice” but to reveal the owner’s identity to the Italian police, adding: “I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that this will clear the vessel of all negative rumours and speculations.”

Police boarded the yacht – which is over 450ft long and has two helicopter landing pads – late on Friday to execute the order, the government said.

Officials said they had struggled to identify the real owner of the boat, as it is registered in the Cayman Islands and was built by the German firm Lürssen. The yacht was delivered to its owner in 2020 and can host up to 18 guests and 40 crew, Reuters reported.

Italian authorities said the owner was not on any sanctions lists drawn up by Brussels since Mr Putin’s declaration of war on 24 February, although Rome has asked Brussels to rectify this.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, while addressing the Italian parliament in March, urged the government to impound the yacht as part of the EU’s efforts to put pressure on Mr Putin.

Italy confiscated yachts and villas worth over £770m in March and April from Russian billionaires with close ties to Mr Putin, in a bid to hurt Moscow financially.

Earlier in March, Italy seized a £530m megayacht owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, as oligarchs around the world scrambled to save their yachts and other luxury assets from western governments.

And in April the German authorities seized the world’s largest superyacht, Dilbar , sprawling over 512ft, which belonged to billionaire Alisher Usmanov before he transferred its ownership to his sister.

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Spain seizes three superyachts in sanctions crackdown after crew member from Ukraine sabotages boat

The 135-metre 'crescent', worth £459m, is latest to be held as madrid signals that era of putin allies partying and villa-buying in the country is over.

Spain has seized a third superyacht believed to be owned by a Russian oligarch, in a sign that the era when Kremlin allies could use the country as a playground to party in appeared to be drawing to a close .

The 135-metre Crescent , which is worth £459m, was impounded by Spanish authorities at the port in Tarragona, Catalonia, the transport ministry said on Wednesday.

Spanish media speculated that the yacht could be owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin but police are still investigating who it belongs to.

The Lady Anastasia , owned by Alexander Mikheyev, who is the head of weapon exporting group Rosoboronexport, was seized at Port Adriano in Mallorca, Spain’s transport ministry said on Tuesday.

Taras Ostapchuk, 55, a Ukrainian sailor who worked on the yacht, last month reportedly caused extensive damage to the £5.9m vessel by opening up its valves and causing it to partly sink.

He was said to have been furious that arms shipped by the yacht’s owner were allegedly used to attack his country. He was arrested but later left Spain to fight for Ukraine.

On Monday, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had announced the seizure of superyacht Valerie in Barcelona and promised “more would follow”, in an indication that Madrid was complying with a European Union crackdown on Russian oligarchs who are close to Mr Putin.

As well as parading their superyachts in the ports of Barcelona, Mallorca, and Puerto Banús , near Marbella, Russia’s super-rich have spent millions of pounds buying properties in the most exclusive parts of Spain. Mr Putin has denied rumours that he bought properties on the Costa del Sol in a deal allegedly arranged by the head of a Russian crime syndicate.

More on Sanctions

The 107-metre mega yacht Valerie has been linked to Sergei Chemenov, a former KGB officer and head of the Russian state conglomerate Rostec, who recently said Moscow would defeat Ukraine.

Sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the vessel is registered to Mr Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova, through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

Mr Chemezov was sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and Britain in 2020 over Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and was named in sanctions lists this month by the US and Australia.

He was not named in the latest European list of sanctioned Russian figures but the EU imposed measures against him in 2014.

In 2015, legal papers seen by i showed that Gennady Petrov, the alleged head of the Tambovskaya-Malyshevkaya crime syndicate, suggested Mr Petrov was involved in the purchase of a property in Malaga for Mr Putin.

The Russian president has always denied owning property outside Russia.

However, a handwritten note, dating from 2001, reads: “Señor Putin, land in Malaga, Russian area or Russian urbanization. Land not bought. Administration presidential affair.”

The paper was seized by Spanish police during raids on properties owned by Mr Petrov in Mallorca in 2008. With a Salvador Dalí on the wall, Ferraris and Bentleys in the drive and Spanish royalty for neighbours, the alleged crime boss lived in luxury in Cali, an exclusive resort on the island.

Mr Petrov is wanted after disappearing in 2012 when he was given permission by Spanish authorities to visit his sick mother in Russia.

Russians made up two per cent of all property purchases in Spain in 2021, according to the Spanish Property Registry, with most villas snapped up along the Costa del Sol, the Costa Brava and in the Costa Daurada south of Barcelona.

The wealthiest Russians buy multi-million-pound villas in La Zagaleta, near Marbella, one of the most expensive residential areas in Spain.

“Russians down here drive around here in their Porsches or SUVs and are the wealthier ones,” Kinvara Vaughan, of MN Comunicacion, a PR company based in Marbella, told i .

“But I don’t know how long they will be able to stay round here because of the present situation (with the war).”

In France, activists occupied a luxury villa in Biarritz owned by Mr Putin’s former son-in-law over the weekend. Pierre Haffner, of the Svoboda Liberté Association, and Sergey Saveliev entered the eight-bedroom Alta Mira property and said on social media they would open the property to Ukrainian refugees.

The property is said to belong to Kirill Shamalov, a Russian billionaire and former husband of Mr Putin’s daughter Katerina Tikhonova.

Most Read By Subscribers

From yachts to lavish estates, tracking Russian assets seized so far

By Tal Yellin , CNN

Published April 13, 2022

Updated April 27, 2022

Countries are on the hunt for sanctioned Russian assets after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Thousands of Russians have since been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, among others. Superyachts and multimillion-dollar properties have already been seized or frozen by authorities in Italy, France, Spain, the UK and Gibraltar. The United States has also launched KleptoCapture, a task force focused on those who violate sanctions and the seizing of their assets.

This interactive will continue to track known developments and help show where sanctioned Russians park their money outside of Russia. Except for Igor Sechin and Sergei Chemezov, no other oligarchs or related persons mentioned in this story responded to requests for comment from CNN.

Real estate

Other assets

April 14, 2022

“dilbar”  linked to    alisher usmanov   valued at $600-$750 million in hamburg, germany.

Germany has impounded the “Dilbar,” a superyacht connected to a Russian oligarch in Hamburg, the country’s embassy in the US tweeted . The yacht belongs to the sister of Alisher Usmanov and is worth between $600 to $750 million, according to the German Federal Criminal Police Office. Usmanov is one of Russia’s wealthiest billionaires with vast domestic and international holdings. The US government sanctioned him in early March in a campaign targeting Putin’s allies, stating Usmanov is alleged to have “financial ties” to Putin. In March, Italy’s financial police seized his real estate and assets worth about $90 million. Usmanov has also been sanctioned by the European Union.

April 12, 2022

Assets  linked to    roman abramovich   valued at over $7 billion in jersey.

Authorities in the Channel island of Jersey froze more than $7 billion worth of assets “suspected to be connected to” Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, according to a government statement . The frozen assets are either located in Jersey or owned by Jersey incorporated entities, the statement said. The States of Jersey Police also executed search warrants on premises “connected to the business activities” of Abramovich. Abramovich made his fortune in steel and investments and was sanctioned by the UK in March, citing his decades-long relationship with Vladimir Putin. In a statement at the time , the UK government noted that “he is one of the few oligarchs from the 1990s to maintain prominence under Putin.” These frozen assets represent around half his net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index .

April 11, 2022

Properties  linked to    nikita mazepin   valued at $114.3 million in sardinia, italy.

A real estate compound, “Rocky Ram,” linked to Nikita Mazepin and his oligarch father Dmitry was seized in Sardinia, the Italian financial police confirmed in a statement. The police said the properties are worth 105 million euros (about $114.3 million). Nikita, a former Formula 1 Haas team driver, and his father were included on a list of individuals sanctioned by the EU in early March. The sanction list described Mazepin Sr. as “a member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin” saying he and 36 other ”businesspeople” met with Putin and other government officials to discuss how sanctions would affect Russia. In early March, Mazepin Sr. sold his controlling stake in Uralchem Group, one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers in Russia, and resigned as CEO from Uralchem JSC, a subsidiary, according to a company statement .

April 7, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $7.83 billion in switzerland.

Switzerland has so far frozen 7.5 billion Swiss francs (about $7.83 billion) of sanctioned Russian assets, according to a State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) spokesperson. The number of frozen assets increased from March 24, when 5.75 billion Swiss francs (about $6.18 billion) were initially frozen. Frozen assets include 11 properties throughout Switzerland. No identifiable information was revealed and no specific assets were mentioned in the initial statement. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Switzerland broke from traditional neutrality and adopted EU sanctions.

April 5, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $3 billion in belgium.

Belgian authorities have frozen $3 billion in Russian assets and blocked $215 billion in transactions since the start of economic sanctions, according to Belgian Minister of Finance Vincent Van Peteghem. The frozen assets belong to 877 individuals and 62 entities on the European sanctions list, according to the statement from the Belgian Finance Ministry. The blocked transactions are the result of other restrictions imposed by the European Union on Russia.

April 4, 2022

“tango”  linked to    viktor vekselberg   valued at $90 million in mallorca, spain.

Spanish authorities seized a superyacht named “Tango,” which they say is owned by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg in Mallorca, according to a statement from the Spanish Civil Guard. The detained yacht was part of an operation with US federal agents and was carried out under a Spanish court order, the statement said. Vekselberg runs the Russian investment company Renova Group. He is worth approximately $16.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He was sanctioned by the United States and is “under investigation for tax fraud, money laundering and document forgery trying to hide the ownership of this superyacht to avoid sanctions” and is “very close to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin,” the Spanish Civil Guard said. Vekselberg’s case marks the first seizure for the newly formed US task force, KleptoCapture. The yacht is 78 meters long (about 256 feet) and is valued at nearly $90 million, per the US Department of Justice.

March 29, 2022

“phi”  linked to    a russian businessman   valued at $50 million in london, england.

The United Kingdom detained the “Phi” yacht belonging to an unnamed-Russian businessman with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime, according to the UK Department for Transport. The Dutch-built vessel is docked in East London’s Canary Wharf for the superyacht awards, and was planning to depart March 29. The Department of Transport claims that the ownership of the boat was “deliberately well hidden.” It sails under the Maltese flag and is registered to a company based in the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis. The 192-foot yacht is worth approximately £38 million (about $50 million).

March 23, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $800 million in france.

French authorities have frozen assets linked to sanctioned Russian oligarchs valued at $800 million, according to French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal. The European Union’s latest round of sanctions in early March against Russia included measures targeting 160 oligarchs and Russian politicians. “There will be no taboo if we need to go further,” Attal said about any additional sanctions.

March 22, 2022

Assets  linked to    sanctioned russians   valued at $431 million in the netherlands.

The Netherlands has frozen nearly 392 million euros (about $431 million) in Russian assets, the Dutch Ministry of Finance told parliament in a letter seen by CNN. The ministry said that further asset freezes were expected. The European Union’s latest round of sanctions in early March against Russia included measures targeting 160 oligarchs and Russian politicians.

March 21, 2022

“axioma”  linked to    dmitry pumpyansky   valued at $75 million in gibraltar.

Authorities in Gibraltar have detained the “Axioma” yacht linked to Russian billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky, according to UK and Gibraltar government statements. Pumpyansky was sanctioned by the EU and UK and was the beneficiary of TMK PAO, Russia’s largest oil and gas steel pipe maker. He also resigned from the TMK PAO’s board of directors, the company announced . The 240-foot yacht is worth approximately $75 million, according to SuperYachtFan . Gibraltar’s ports had been closed to sanctioned individuals, but the Captain of the Port made an exception after JPMorgan Chase was granted a court order authorizing the seizure. “JPMorgan is acting pursuant to its mortgage rights,” the Gibraltar government said in a statement to CNN. JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States, said in a statement in early March it was getting out of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, citing “compliance with directives by governments around the world.”

March 18, 2022

Real estate  linked to    alexey mordaschov   valued at $116 million in sardinia, italy.

The Italian financial police seized a real estate complex belonging to Russian billionaire Alexey Mordaschov in Sardinia, according to Italy’s Prime Minister’s office. Mordaschov is the chairman of Russian mining and steel company Severstal and is one of Russia’s richest men, worth $18.5 billion, according to Forbes . The frozen real estate is worth around 105 million euros (about $116 million), per Ferdinando Giugliano, the media advisor to the Italian Prime Minister. On March 4, Mordaschov’s yacht, named “Lady M” was also seized in Italy. The 213-foot yacht is worth approximately 65 million euros (about $71 million).

March 16, 2022

“crescent”  linked to    an unknown owner   valued at $600 million in tarragona, spain.

Spanish authorities have detained a superyacht, named “Crescent” in the port of Tarragona, according to a statement from Spain’s Ministry for Transport. The 135-meter yacht flies a Cayman Islands flag and has been “provisionally detained” to establish whether it is the possession of a person or entity included in the European Council’s package of sanctions, the statement said. The yacht cost approximately $600 million, according to SuperYachtFan.

Real estate  linked to    Petr Aven   valued at $4.4 million in Sardinia, Italy

The Italian financial police froze a real estate complex belonging partially to Russian oligarch Petr Aven in Sardinia, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s press office. The share of real estate is worth approximately 4 million euros (about $4.4 million), according to the Italian Prime Minister’s office. The billionaire stepped down earlier this month as Director of Russian private bank Alfa Bank and from the board of the investment firm he co-founded, LetterOne, after being sanctioned by the EU and UK . The European Union named Aven as “one of Vladimir Putin’s closest oligarchs,” who “regularly meet” with the Russian President in the Kremlin, and “does not operate independently of the President’s demands.”

Real estate and vehicles  linked to    Alisher Usmanov   valued at $72 million in Italy

Real estate assets and six corporate vehicles belonging to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov were seized by the Italian financial police. The seized assets are worth approximately 66 million euros (about $72 million). Usmanov is one of Russia’s wealthiest billionaires with vast domestic and international holdings. The US government sanctioned him in early March in a campaign targeting Putin’s allies, stating he is alleged to have financial ties to Putin. Italy’s financial police had previously seized his real estate in the Golfo del Pevero area in Arzachena on March 4. Those assets are worth approximately 17 million euros (about $18 million).

March 15, 2022

“lady anastasia”  linked to    alexander mikheev   valued at $7 million in palma de mallorca, spain.

Spanish authorities have detained a yacht linked to Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheev, named “Lady Anastasia,” in the port of Palma de Mallorca, according to the Spanish Ministry of Transport. Mikheev is the CEO of Rosoboronexport, the only state organization in Russia that exports weapons and was sanctioned by the EU and the US. The yacht is nearly 48 meters (157 feet) long and was in the news in late February, when a crew member tried to sink the vessel in retaliation for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The yacht is worth approximately $7 million, according to a listing on BOAT International.

“Valerie”  linked to    Sergei Chemezov   valued at $140 million in Barcelona, Spain

Spanish authorities seized the “Valerie” yacht reportedly linked to Russian oligarch and former KGB agent Sergei Chemezov in the port of Barcelona, according to Reuters . Chemezov is the chairman of the Rostec conglomerate and a member of the Supreme Council of ‘United Russia’, per EU sanctions . When the US sanctioned Chemezov in 2014 — as part of an effort targeting Putin’s inner circle — the government said he had known Putin since the 1980s and the two lived in the same apartment complex in East Germany. The yacht is worth approximately $140 million and will remain “provisionally immobilized” until authorities can determine its ownership. A spokesman for Chemezov denied that he is tied to the yacht.

March 11, 2022

“sailing yacht a”  linked to    andrey melnichenko   valued at $577 million in trieste, italy.

The Italian financial police seized “Sailing Yacht A” — which could be linked to Russian fertilizer and coal billionaire Andrey Melnichenko — in the port of Trieste, according to Ferdinando Giugliano, the media advisor to the Italian Prime Minister. Melnichenko was sanctioned by the EU on March 9 and has since removed himself from the boards of two companies he founded, Eurochem and SUEK, according to his spokesman Alex Andreev in a statement to CNN. At 469 feet long, the vessel is also the world’s tallest sailing yacht — taller than the Statue of Liberty — and is worth approximately 530 million euros (about $577 million).

March 4, 2022

“villa lazzareschi”  linked to    oleg savchenko   valued at $3.3 million in lucca, italy.

A 17th century villa allegedly owned by Oleg Savchenko, named “Villa Lazzareschi,” was seized by Italian financial police in the province of Lucca, according to a police statement . Savchenko is a member of the State Duma and was sanctioned by the EU. The seized Italian villa is worth approximately 3 million euros (about $3.3 million).

Real estate  linked to    Vladimir Soloviev   valued at $8.7 million in Como, Italy

Real estate properties belonging to Vladimir Soloviev were seized by the Italian financial police in the province of Como, according to a police statement . Soloviev is a Russian pro-Kremlin propagandist and TV/radio journalist, according to EU Council sanctions . The frozen Italian real estate is worth approximately 8 million euros (about $8.7 million).

Real estate  linked to    Alisher Usmanov   valued at $18 million in Arzachena, Italy

A real estate compendium belonging to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov was seized by the Italian financial police in the Golfo del Pevero area in Arzachena, according to a statement . The frozen Italian real estate is worth approximately 17 million euros (about $18 million).

Usmanov is one of Russia’s wealthiest billionaires with vast domestic and international holdings, according to the US Treasury. The US government sanctioned him in early March in a campaign targeting Putin’s allies, stating he is alleged to have financial ties to Putin. The US said it sanctioned his private jet and his 512-foot superyacht named “Dilbar.”

“Lena”  linked to    Gennady Timchenko   valued at $55 million in San Remo, Italy

The Italian financial police seized Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko’s yacht, named “Lena,” in the port of San Remo, according to a police statement . Timchenko is the owner of private investment group, Volga Group. He was sanctioned by the EU in February. When the US government sanctioned Timchenko in 2014, an effort targeting Putin’s inner circle, they stated his “activities in the energy sector have been directly linked to Putin.” The 126-foot yacht is worth approximately 50 million euros (about $55 million).

“Lady M”  linked to    Alexey Mordaschov   valued at $71 million in Imperia, Italy

The Italian financial police seized Russian billionaire Alexey Mordaschov’s yacht, named “Lady M,” in the northern port of Imperia, according to a police statement . Mordaschov is the chairman of Russian mining and steel company Severstal and is one of Russia’s richest men, worth $18.5 billion, according to Forbes . The 213-foot yacht is worth approximately 65 million euros (about $71 million).

March 3, 2022

“amore vero”  linked to    igor sechin   valued at $120 million in la ciotat, france.

French authorities seized a yacht linked to Igor Sechin in the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat, according to the French Finance Ministry . Sechin is the CEO of Rosneft, the Russian state oil company and one of the world’s largest crude oil producers. The yacht, named “Amore Vero” — or “True Love” in Italian — was scheduled to leave the port on April 1 after arriving in January. Sechin was deputy prime minister of Russia from 2008 until 2012. The European Union said his connections to Putin are “long and deep,” with the two men maintaining daily contact. The yacht is worth about $120 million, according to SuperYachtFan. A Sechin spokesman denied that he is tied to the yacht.

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Which Russian-linked superyachts have been seized and where?

These luxury vessels are worth hundreds of millions of dollars and are owned by or suspected to be linked to sanctioned russian elites.

March 26, 2022

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Spain has now impounded three yachts linked to Russian oligarchs

Click here for all our reports related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine .

UPDATED – Thurs 17 March at 19h

Spanish authorities impounded a third yacht suspected of belonging to a Russian oligarch on Wednesday, as part of the EU sanctions over the Ukraine war, the transport ministry said.

The 135-metre long yacht, Crescent , has been stopped from leaving the Catalan port of Tarragona whilst police determine if it ‘belongs or is under the control of’ someone on the EU sanctions list, the ministry said in a statement.

The yacht reportedly belongs to Igor Sechin , the head of Russia’s oil giant Rosneft and another ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin . The Crescent has been docked in Tarragona since November. It had requested permission to depart the port on 4 March but did not set sail, the ministry said.

Sechin is on the EU’s list of Russian tycoons targeted by sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

On Tuesday this week, Spanish authorities impounded a yacht called Lady Anastasia on the island of Mallorca which reportedly belongs to Russian tycoon Alexander Mikheev , the head of weapons exporting group Rosoboronexport . The same yacht had been in the news at the end of February when a Ukrainian sailor was arrested in Mallorca by Spain’s Guardia Civil  for trying to sink the vessel.  Also read:  Ukrainian sailor in court for trying to sink luxury yacht of Russian boss in Mallorca .

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Monday during a TV interview that police had impounded another 85-metre-long yacht in Barcelona [see report below]. 

Original report below:

An 85-metre yacht worth $140 million has been impounded in the port of Barcelona , Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez  has said. It reportedly belongs to Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov.  

The yacht is reportedly named Valerie , which is linked to Rostec defence firm chief Chemezov, a former KGB officer and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin .

‘Today we seized – the technical term is provisionally immobilised – a yacht belonging to one of the principal oligarchs,’ Sánchez said on La Sexta television. ‘We are talking about a yacht that we estimate is worth $140 million,’ he said, adding that ‘others were to follow’, without giving further details.

The Valerie  superyacht sails under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The vessel is registered to Chemezov’s stepdaughter, Anastasia Ignatova , through a British Virgin Islands company, according to a 2021 article published in the Pandora Papers information leak.

Yachts are among the assets of oligarchs targeted by sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Chemezov  had previously been sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and by the UK in 2020 over his involvement in Russia’s annexation of Crimea . He was also named in sanctions lists this month by the United States and Australia. The US sanctions also targeted Chemezov’s stepdaughter, as well as his wife and son. A fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is due to be unveiled in the coming days.

The yacht has been in Barcelona since 9 February, according to Marine Traffic, and was until Monday under repair at Barcelona’s shipyard MB92.

My Solaris , the €500 million superyacht of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich , left Barcelona on 11 March and its crew are now looking to dock at a port further East where the vessel will not be seized by authorities.

Also read:  France seizes Russian oil czar’s $120m superyacht, as EU sanctions start to bite .

Also read:  Ukrainian sailor in court for trying to sink luxury yacht of Russian boss in Mallorca .

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A mystery owner is paying for a Putin-linked superyacht worth $700 million to be refitted while it’s impounded in Italy under EU sanctions

A superyacht linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin is being refitted in an Italian port, despite having been impounded last year under European Union sanctions, the Financial Times  reported .

Italian Sea Group SpA told the paper it’s refurbishing the 459-foot superyacht  Scheherazade,  and that the yacht’s owner has been paying for the “refit” and maintenance, but declined to give further details including the owner’s identity, the FT reported Sunday.

Bloomberg reported last year that US authorities allege a little-known Russian oligarch — who doesn’t appear on any recognized list of the world’s wealthiest people — has acted as the “straw owner” of the $650-million yacht .

Straw Owner’ Hides $1 Billion Worth of Russian Yachts, US Says

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s team disclosed evidence in March 2022 that the  Scheherazade , which is being held at Marina di Carrara in Tuscany, was staffed with people who worked for the agency in charge of Putin’s security. Italy  ordered  the yacht held in May 2022, saying it’s linked to top levels of the Russian government that are under EU sanctions.

Around the globe,  impounded Russian superyachts  are costing millions to maintain, Bloomberg reported last year. Italian authorities have impounded at least four of the vessels, including the  Scheherazade , which has two helipads and a pool that can be turned into a dance floor. Italy’s state property agency had been paying an estimated $40 million a year for their upkeep, Bloomberg said in the November report, citing people familiar with the situation.

In the case of the recent refit, Italian authorities agreed to allow the owner to pay for the “maintenance works,” the FT said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “all rumors about this are unfounded,” and a European Commission spokesperson said that member states are responsible for implementing sanctions, and that asset freezes don’t affect asset ownership, the FT reported.

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US alleges sanctioned Russian oligarch’s niece made payments for his $300M yacht

The yacht, known as the Amadea, was seized by officials in 2022, with the U.S. alleging billionaire Putin ally Suleiman Kerimov is the ultimate beneficial owner.

U.S. authorities claim to be one step closer to proving a seized $300 million mega yacht is owned by sanctioned Russian Suleiman Kerimov, according to new court filings that detail alleged payments for the boat from the oligarch’s niece.

The yacht, a 348-foot luxury vessel known as Amadea, was seized in Fiji in 2022 by local officials at the request of the United States, as part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to identify and seize assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Kerimov, known for throwing lavish parties and for his reportedly close relationship with Vladimir Putin, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018. Britain and the European Union later followed suit.

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Nov 16, 2022.

However, since the Amadea’s seizure, another Russian oligarch, Eduard Khudainatov, who is not currently under U.S. sanctions, has claimed to be the yacht’s rightful owner — an assertion U.S. authorities deny.

Prosecutors allege that new documents show Kerimov’s niece, Alisa Gadzhieva, entered into a loan agreement with the company that owns the yacht, Errigal Marine Limited, and then made two payments to Khudainatov’s holding company, Invest International Finance Ltd, Intelligence Online reported .

“The United States takes sanction evasion seriously and will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that sanctioned individuals are held accountable for their crimes,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in an earlier statement . 

The ship belongs to an array of high-value luxury items linked to Kerimov, including private jets and sportscars, like a $650,000 Ferrari that Kerimov totaled in a fiery crash on the French Riviera in 2006. 

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The yacht’s seizure followed ICIJ’s Pandora Papers, which included revelations on the offshore financial empire of Kerimov and his closest associates. The investigation showed billions of dollars flowing through opaque offshore shell companies associated with Kerimov, and covert money flows tied to oligarchs and others close to the Kremlin. It also highlighted offshore professionals who have helped oligarchs secretly buy luxury assets like yachts and jets.

Gadzhieva’s brother, Kerimov’s nephew Nariman Gadzhiev, is also under U.S. sanctions for allegedly serving as an assistant and financial facilitator for Kerimov. ICIJ’s reporting showed that, in 2012, a firm registered in Gadzhiev’s name worked with Credit Suisse to secure a $67 million loan for the acquisition of a custom-built Boeing 737 Business Jet as well as a Bombardier Global Express jet. A few years later, an article in Forbes Russia described Kerimov as owning the same kind of Boeing jet.

The Amadea, which is currently in U.S. custody, has already cost over $7 million in taxpayer funds to maintain while the legal battle plays out, The Guardian reported.  

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$700mn superyacht tied to Putin is being refitted while impounded

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