British Billionaire and Tottenham Hotspur soccer club owner 86-year-old Joe Lewis landed in choppy waters owing to insider trading charges. Lucky for him, his $250 million superyacht Aviva came to the rescue, not literally but financially. The tycoon indicted in the US was accused of divulging inside information on the stock market with romantic partners, close friends, assistants, and pilots of his private plane. To walk free, the octogenarian had to secure a $300 million bail using his 323 feet superyacht and private aircraft.
The rules will limit international travel, and the tycoon must keep the FBI up-to-date on the movements of his yacht. In all, the Tottenham owner has been charged with over 15 counts of securities fraud. This development may affect the fate of the soccer club owner as it did Roman Abramovich’s. The saving grace here is that Lewis’s family trust owns 85% of the club’s shares, and the Premier League may be unable to force Lewis to sell Tottenham if found guilty.
Lawyers representing the businessman with a $6.4 billion net worth strongly oppugned the allegations, “The government has made an egregious error in judgment in charging Mr. Lewis, an 86-year-old man of impeccable integrity and prodigious accomplishment,” defense attorney David Zornow said. “Mr. Lewis has come to the US voluntarily to answer these ill-conceived charges, and we will defend him vigorously in court.”
Aviva, the wow yacht –
Considered the 46th largest luxury vessel in the world at the time of delivery (2017), Abeking’s Aviva was a big boat with a simple brief. “Build a big yacht around a padel tennis court was the main brief, I guess,” said the yard’s project manager Andreas Hering, and three years later, 323 feet Aviva was launched. They say the self-made billionaire practically lives aboard his boat in the Bahamas, doubling as his private office. That explains the expansive spaces, luxurious amenities, and a grand master suite with a 164 feet owner’s wardrobe inspired by Chanel boutiques.
Designed by Reymond Langton, the boat is designed to suit the billionaire’s routine and requirements. The first-of-its-kind padel tennis court with 22 feet high ceilings was incorporated into the lower deck to allow Lewis to keep up with his daily routine of the high-intensity squash-tennis hybrid sport. Aviva yacht also boasts a string of luxe amenities like a beach club, a gym, a swimming pool, and a spa.
Tucked away in an obscure corner is a secret cinema. The family salon on the upper deck epitomizes comfort with leather-clad walls, oversized balconies, and extra comfy sofas. The space is highlighted by a games table and a sculptural Bogányi piano. Plenty of impressive artwork is spotted on the walls of the ship by acclaimed artists like Degas, Lucian Freud, Klimt, Modigliani, Matisse, and Picasso.
What catches the eye aboard Aviva is the lack of a large dining room, replaced by two intimate, art-filled bistros and many other small dining areas elsewhere. The boat also boasts a piano salon, but the owner’s suite is undoubtedly the most magnificent space. It features an office, a private lounge, and a large en-suite bathroom on the upper deck. A monolithic Corian bathtub is part of the private spa just aft of the cabin.
The boat, unlike other counterparts, hardly used any wood, creating a decor that’s an eclectic mix of materials like leather and lacquer. Aviva can host up to 16 people and 35 crew members. She boasts a top speed of 20 knots owing to twin diesel-electric engines.
Billionaire Joe Lewis was nicknamed The Boxer-
Amassing a future of over $6 billion is no small feat. It takes guts and gumption, something the 86-year-old tycoon has in abundance. The London-born Jew established his fortune by taking big swings in public markets as a currency trader in the 80s, earning him the moniker “The Boxer.” Today, he is a recognized name across real estate, art, and sports as the owner of the English soccer club Tottenham Hotspur. He also founded the Tavistock Group holding company that has stakes in more than 200 businesses worldwide.
The businessman resides in the Bahamas, where he created a golf community called Albany. Lewis’s art collection is widely appreciated. It is worth over $1 billion and features greats like Picasso, Matisse, Lucian Freud, and sculptor Henry Moore, some of which can be found on Aviva Yacht.
