Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov’s $325M yacht put up for auction

The U.S. authorities have put the yacht Amadea — formerly owned by Senator Suleiman Kerimov and seized back in 2022 — up for a sealed-bid auction. The bidding is scheduled for September 10, according to the auction website.

To participate in the closed auction, prospective buyers must put down a $10 million deposit. While the yacht is estimated to be worth around $325 million, NBC News reports that the winning bidder will likely acquire it for a lower price.

The Amadea was impounded in April 2022 after entering Fiji’s exclusive economic zone without customs clearance. On May 3, a Fijian court authorized the vessel’s confiscation. According to media reports, the 348-foot superyacht is outfitted with a helipad, an infinity pool, a lobster tank, and a hand-painted grand piano. The auction website also features photographs of the yacht’s interior and a detailed layout of its six decks.

The FBI has identified Russian Senator Suleiman Kerimov as the yacht’s beneficial owner. Official documents, however, list Eduard Khudainatov — the former CEO of Rosneft — as the registered owner. Khudainatov is also the nominal owner of the yacht Scheherazade, which is believed to belong to Vladimir Putin.

As noted by the industry magazine Megayacht News, Amadea was the first yacht seized in connection with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to a March 2024 report by NBC News, the decision to sell the yacht was driven by the high cost of maintenance: monthly expenses for the crew and upkeep were estimated at approximately $922,000.