Fishermen set up their gear across the harbour from the Russian-owned super yacht Amadea, seized in Fiji by American law enforcement, in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. June 17, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Garcia/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
NEW YORK, Nov 28 (Reuters) – A former chief executive of Russian state oil company Rosneft (ROSN.MM) has claimed ownership of a $300 million yacht seized by U.S. authorities last year as part of a crackdown on alleged sanctions violations, U.S. court records showed on Tuesday.
Eduard Khudainatov’s claim that he owns the 348-foot (106-meter) Amadea is a challenge to the U.S. Department of Justice’s push to take permanent ownership of the yacht, which it says is owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov.
“Mr. Khudainatov has always been the ultimate beneficial owner … and is not sanctioned by the United States government,” Khudainatov’s lawyers said in a filing in Manhattan federal court. “As such, the (Amadea) is not forfeitable, as it neither constitutes nor is derived from any unlawful activity.”
Khudainatov left Rosneft in 2013. The Amadea is being docked in San Diego while its ownership is sorted out.
A spokesman for the U.S….
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