You can\u2019t miss it, the superyacht moored at the B Street Pier. It\u2019s big, stretching 348 feet. It\u2019s loaded with amenities, with six decks, eight staterooms, a private cinema, infinity pool and helipad. The federal government says it once belonged to a Russian oligarch, but it\u2019s theirs now. And it\u2019s for sale.<\/p>\n
Valued two years ago by federal officials at more than $300 million \u2014 although recent media reports peg the value at $325 million \u2014 the Amadea is parked in San Diego during a sealed-bid auction to the highest bidder that ends Sept. 10. The auctioneer says bidders must have a minimum net worth of $500 million.<\/p>\n
Bidders also must deposit $10 million in escrow to enter the auction. Interested buyers, their representatives or brokers can arrange for special tours. Everyone else will have to gawk from a distance.<\/p>\n
Amadea\u2019s ownership remains at issue. The U.S. says it belongs to Suleiman Kerimov, an economist and former Russian politician who was among seven alleged Russian oligarchs the U.S. sanctioned in 2018.<\/a><\/p>\n But Eduard Khudainatov, former CEO of Russian oil company Rosneft, has been fighting the forfeiture, arguing in court documents that he owns Amadea. Federal prosecutors alleged in court filings that Khudainatov has functioned as a \u201cstraw owner.\u201d<\/p>\n In March, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho in New York ordered the yacht forfeited and told the U.S. Marshals Service to dispose of it. Last month, Ho said the government could sell the vessel even in light of the ownership battle. A representative of Khudainatov told the Associated Press in an emailed statement\u00a0Wednesday that the planned sale of the yacht is \u201cimproper and premature\u201d given the ongoing appeal.<\/p>\n The auction appears to be moving forward.<\/p>\n \u201cOur goal is to dispose of assets in a timely manner at fair market value,\u201d the Marshals Service said in a statement Wednesday, adding that the service is \u201cproceeding with plans to sell the yacht according to industry standards.\u201d<\/p>\n Ho\u2019s July ruling indicated the government says it had spent about $32 million in transportation, maintenance and other costs associated with Amadea, and that it continues to rack up such costs, coming in about $850,000 a month.<\/p>\n Maintenance and alterations to the yacht before it was seized don\u2019t appear to have come cheap either. The federal complaint alleged that billing for upkeep and improvements to the Amadea from September 2021 to April 2022 tallied more than $1.3 million.<\/p>\n In December 2021, prosecutors alleged in the complaint, a fuel supplier billed about $167,000 in fuel costs. Four months later, another fuel company billed about $280,000.<\/p>\n In 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice created Task Force KleptoCapture to enforce sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine. In spring 2022, the Amadea was seized in Fiji. A few months later, the U.S. had the vessel sailed into San Diego Bay<\/a>.<\/p>\n The winning bidder will have to take it \u201cas is, where is.\u201d<\/p>\n The massive vessel has a range of 8,000 nautical miles and accommodates 36 crew members and 22 guests. The owner\u2019s private deck includes a hot tub and a beauty salon. And with six decks, there are two elevators (one appears to be a service elevator for crew). The Amadea comes with three smaller boats, known as tenders, tucked into the hull, available to be used for sport or to shuttle people to shore.<\/p>\n