Last Wednesday (2), five Russian billionaires moved their yachts to the Maldives in search of tranquility. Not what can be found on the beaches of the archipelago. The peace they sought there was another: to stay away from Western sanctions.
The island nation, located in the Indian Ocean, does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, something valuable at a time when several countries have been freezing money and confiscating assets from members of the Russian financial elite, as a way of charging Vladimir Putin for the invasion of Ukraine. .
The day before the move to the Maldives, US President Joe Biden had announced that he would work with the European Union to target the oligarchs, seizing their yachts, luxury apartments and private jets.
So far, at least one vessel has been taken. A yacht valued at US$ 120 million (R$ 605 million) that was moored in the port of La Ciotat in southern France and is attributed to Igor Sechin, president of Russia’s biggest oil producer.
The billionaire is on the sanctions list of Europe and the United States, as are dozens of other Russians – many of them owners of yachts just as expensive and imposing.
A survey carried out by Sheet, from data from the International Maritime Organization and the websites Marine Traffic and Superyacht Fan, showed that at least ten vessels are linked to Western-sanctioned oligarchs.
The vast majority of vessels surveyed were on behalf of offshore companies registered in the Cayman Islands or British Virgin Islands.
As these vehicles are intended for a specific purpose, it is not uncommon for them to be in different jurisdictions than the owner. There are also leasing contracts (a kind of lease for a determined period of time).
However, the absence of direct association can also be a way of creating a maze of owners in order to avoid identifications.
One of the exceptions to the list is Oleg Tinkov, entrepreneur founder of Tinkoff, one of the largest online banks in the world. His yacht, called “La Datcha”, sails under the Russian flag and ownership of it is no secret.
In 2019, Tinkov himself presented what was still just the hull of his yacht to a YouTube channel dedicated to this type of vessel.
The list also includes yachts that could be linked to billionaires like Alexei Mordashov, Russia’s richest man and a shareholder in Bank Rossiya; Alisher Usmanov, considered one of Putin’s favorite oligarchs; and Roman Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea football team.
With a value of US$ 2.84 billion (R$ 14.4 billion), the ten yachts are spread around the world: from Dubai to the Seychelles archipelago, on the east coast of Africa.
See the list of yachts attributed to Russian oligarchs
Alexei Mordashov, Bank Rossiya businessman and shareholder
Yacht name: Nord
Size: 142 meters
Value: US$ 500 million (R$ 2.5 billion)
Last position: Seychelles Archipelago, off the east coast of Africa
Date: March 4, 2022
Alisher Usmanovmetals and technology tycoon
Yacht name: Lady Gulya
Size: 111.5 meters
Value: US$ 300 million (R$ 1.52 billion)
Last position: Sri Lanka
Date: 21.Feb.2022
Alisher Usmanov
Yacht name: Dilbar
Size: 156 meters
Value: US$ 800 million (R$ 4 billion)
Last position: Port of Hamburg, Germany
Date: 21.Dec.2021
Andrei Skochsteel tycoon in Russia
Yacht name: Madame Gu
Size: 99 meters
Value: US$ 150 million (R$ 761 million)
Last position: Dubai
Date: 28.Feb.2022
Arkady Rotenbergowner of construction companies and Putin’s colleague
Yacht name: Rahil
Size: 65 meters
Value: US$ 75 million (R$ 380.6 million)
Last position: Near the Italian island of Sardena
Date: March 4, 2022
Igor Sechinbusinessman and shareholder of Bank Rossiya
Yacht name: Amore Vero
Size: 86 meters
Value: US$ 120 million (R$ 605 million)
Last position: La Ciotat, France
Date: March 3, 2022
Oleg Deripaskafounder of aluminum giant Rusal
Yacht name: Clio
Size: 73 meters
Value: US$ 65 million (R$ 329 million)
Last position: Gulf of Suez, at the northern end of the Red Sea
Date: February 1, 2022
Oleg Tinkovfounder of online banking Tinkoff
Yacht name: La Datcha
Size: 77 meters
Value: US$ 110 million (R$ 558.2 million)
Last position: Pacific Ocean, near the Mexican city of Tijuana
Date: March 4, 2022
Roman Abramovichowner of Chelsea Football Club
Yacht name: Solaris
Size: 140 meters
Value: US$ 600 million (R$ 3 billion)
Last position: Barcelona
Date: March 4, 2022
Viktor Vekselbergpresident of the Renova Group conglomerate
Yacht name: Tango
Size: 78 meters
Value: US$ 120 million (R$ 605 million)
Last position: Palma, Spain
Date: 4.mar. 2022
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