Unraveling the Amadea Yacht Case: Who Really Owns the Billion-Dollar Vessel at the Center of a Sanctions Dispute

The Amadea yacht, which is currently under arrest in Fiji, has been the subject of a trial involving the confiscation of the vessel. Despite claims by US authorities that the ship is owned by businessman Suleiman Kerimov, a court in New York has refused to sell it to the government. This decision was made on the grounds that while the maintenance costs during the legal process were reported to be $740,000 per month, this is excessive when compared to the standard costs of maintaining similar yachts.

The 106-meter yacht Amadea was seized in Fiji in April 2022 at the request of the United States due to sanctions imposed after the conflict in Ukraine. The US claims Suleiman Kerimov is its owner and wants to confiscate it to transfer proceeds to Ukraine. However, documents indicate that Eduard Khudainatov, who served as head of Rosneft and is not under sanctions, is actually its owner. Khudainatov denies any connection with Kerimov.

This case highlights how difficult it can be for governments and courts to determine ownership when there are conflicting claims and evidence from different sources. It also raises questions about whether sanctions are an effective tool for achieving diplomatic goals or if they have unintended consequences on innocent individuals and businesses.