The United States government has put the luxury mega-yacht Amadea up for sale three years after it was seized in waters near Fiji in one of the most high-profile acts of international sanctions enforcement against Russian oligarchs.
The 348-foot vessel, once valued at over USD $350 million, was detained in Lautoka in 2022 as part of Operation KleptoCapture, a U.S.-led initiative to pressure Russian elites following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
At the time, the seizure was carried out with cooperation from Fijian authorities and drew global attention to Fiji’s role in supporting international sanctions.
The U.S. Marshals Service had travelled to Fiji to take the yacht back to the USA.
Amadea, which boasts six decks, a helipad, an infinity pool, eight cabins, a cinema, and even a lobster aquarium, is now being auctioned in a closed bidding process managed by National Maritime Services and Fraser Yachts.
Interested buyers must place a USD $10 million deposit.
Legal ownership of the yacht has been at the centre of lengthy court battles in the United States.
Though officially held by Millemarin Investments, a U.S. judge ruled earlier this year that there were “grounds to believe the applicants were fictitious owners” and that the yacht was effectively controlled by sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov’s family.
Since its seizure, the U.S. Marshals Service has spent approximately USD $32 million maintaining the yacht, now docked in San Diego.
The vessel’s extended legal entanglements and upkeep costs have significantly reduced its expected sale price.
