The puzzling course of Suleiman Kerimov’s $325million megayacht Amadea is finally clear. After footing the astronomical bill for Amadea’s maintenance, the court has finally green-lighted the luxury boat’s journey to the United States and leave Fiji waters for good. As per the Supreme Court ruling, appeals by Millemarin Investment Limited for a stay of execution and proceedings pending appeal have been dismissed. The beautiful Amadea will leave the island nation after bleeding them dry of more than $5 million in the nearly seven weeks it was docked at the Lautoka Wharf.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Pryde, said in a statement, “The decision acknowledges Fiji’s commitment to respecting international mutual assistance requests and Fiji’s international obligations. The court accepted the validity of the U.S. warrant and agreed that issues concerning money laundering and ownership need to be decided in the court of original jurisdiction, in this case, the U.S. District Court of Columbia. The Amadea has been handed over to U.S. authorities and will now leave Fiji,” shared FBC News.
As much as the Amadea was a financial nuisance for Fiji, it also gave the U.S. authorities a tough time owing to the insubordination of its crew. A few days back, Amadea’s crew refused to aid U.S. authorities on the ship’s departing voyage. The staff of the megayacht said they were not paid to sail the vessel owing to Kerimov’s funds being frozen. On the other end, the crew was anxious this cooperation with U.S. authorities would be viewed as a breach of contract and could ruin their professional reputation and prospects. Whatever the crews’ concerns may have been last week, the court ruling will not leave them with many choices except to follow orders and sail to the United States.
This is a big win for the United States, which has been struggling to impound Kerimov’s pleasure craft ever since it landed in Fiji without customs clearance. The first roadblock was proving her ownership. The registered owner, Millemarin Investments, named Eduard Khudainatov as the owner of Amadea. Even after establishing Kerimov as the owner of Amadea, the stunning yacht was barred from leaving Fiji’s waters under a restraining order granted by the country’s high court in Suva. The long-overdue legal battle has finally ended, and the 348-footer is finally sailing to the U.S.
Amadea is a visually stunning ship with several eye-catching elements. It welcomes guests by opening into an imposing double-height atrium. French designer Francois Zuretti gave the interiors a refreshing appeal with hand-painted Michelangelo clouds on the ceiling above the dining table, backlit whiskies, brandies, and rums in clear bottles behind the bar.
Her owner’s deck is a lavish space fit for a tycoon worth $13.7 billion and holds a separate saloon, bar, and dining area. According to Vice, the luxury boat includes a handmade piano that “took 18 months and thousands of hours to build” and “all the hardware, from pedals to hinges, is in 24kt gold.” Among other striking features is how the main deck converts into a party space with 20,000 watts of built-in speakers, lights, and lasers. On the top deck, a galley glistens with copper pots and pans, a huge grill area, and even a live tank for lobsters.
