US Auctioning Off Seized $325M Russian Superyacht, Equipped With Helipad, Private Gym And Luxury Spa

The United States is set to auction off the $325 million superyacht Amadea, marking its first sale of a seized Russian luxury vessel since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The auction will close on September 10 and requires a €10 million ($11.6 million) deposit to place a sealed bid. The 348-foot (106-meter) yacht, custom-built by German shipbuilder Lürssen in 2017 and designed by François Zuretti, boasts eight staterooms, a beauty salon, spa, gym, helipad, swimming pool, and elevator accommodating 16 guests and 36 crew members.

The U.S. contends that the vessel’s true owner is Suleiman Kerimov, a sanctioned Russian billionaire and former politician accused of money laundering since 2018. The yacht was seized by Fiji in 2022 at Washington’s request and has since remained under the custody of the National Maritime Services in San Diego.

However, former Rosneft CEO Eduard Khudainatov who is not sanctioned claims ownership. U.S. prosecutors allege Khudainatov is merely a “straw owner” used to conceal Kerimov’s control. Litigation over ownership is ongoing, with Khudainatov appealing a forfeiture ruling.

His representative, Adam Ford, called the planned sale “improper and premature”, warning that “ownership can, and will, be challenged in courts outside the United States, exposing purchasers to years of costly, uncertain litigation.” Ford also stated Khudainatov would seek any proceeds from the sale and compensation for any shortfall in value.

The U.S. has been working with allies to target Russian oligarchs’ assets including luxury yachts as part of its effort to pressure Moscow into ending the war. An aid package for Ukraine signed into law in May 2024 allows the U.S. to seize Russian state assets and redirect them for Kyiv’s benefit.