<ul class="summary-list"><li>German authorities have impounded a $750 million <keyword id="12425898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="superyacht" source="Orion">superyacht</keyword> associated with <keyword id="13345383" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="alisher-usmanov" source="Orion">Alisher Usmanov</keyword>.</li><li>Police said an investigation into "offshore concealment" found the owner to be Usmanov's sister.</li></ul><keyword id="11892705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="germany" source="Orion">Germany</keyword>'s Federal Police have seized the largest <keyword id="12425897" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="megayacht" source="Orion">megayacht</keyword> in the world after determining it to be owned by the sister of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov.The police said they were able to reveal the actual owner following an investigation into "<a href="https://twitter.com/bka/status/1514157767145181187">offshore concealment</a>," and that the yacht would remain at a shipyard in <keyword id="12427900" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hamburg" source="Orion">Hamburg</keyword>.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Bundeskriminalamt (@bka) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1514157767145181187">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote><a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2022:110:FULL&amp;from=EN">EU sanctions lists</a> include Alisher Usmanov's sister, Gulbakhor Ismailova, and say that he "indirectly transferred assets" including the <keyword id="13517143" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dilbar" source="Orion">Dilbar</keyword> yacht to her.The 512-foot yacht was <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/03/02/update-fate-of-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-mega-yacht-in-germany-uncertain/?sh=467711b27471">previously thought to be under German government control</a> in March when it was spotted at the Blohm+Voss shipyards where it had been undergoing a refitting since October. Officials quickly denied those reports.Shortly after, the yacht's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-yacht-crew-fired-sanctions-dilbar-putin-2022-3">crew was fired</a> after wages could not be paid due to sanctions.With <a href="https://www.lurssen.com/en/new-build/yachts/dilbar/">two helipads</a> and the largest indoor pool ever installed on a yacht, Dilbar is worth between <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0628">$600 million and $735 million</a> and costs $60 million per year to maintain, according to the US Treasury.The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-sanctions-against-russian-oligarchs-alisher-usmanov-and-igor-shuvalov">UK government</a> estimates Usmanov to worth an estimated $18.4 billion from interests in <a href="https://usm-group.com/">metals, mining, and telecoms,</a> and the EU called him one of "<a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2022:059:FULL&amp;from=EN">Putin's favorite oligarchs</a>."Dilbar is named for Usmanov's mother.

Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov's $735 million superyacht Dilbar — the largest in the world — has been impounded in Germany

<ul class="summary-list"><li>French authorities froze 2 helicopters linked to Russian oligarch <keyword id="13345383" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="alisher-usmanov" source="Orion">Alisher Usmanov</keyword>, Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/03/31/exclusive-france-freezes-two-helicopters-owned-by-sanctioned-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanov/?sh=b8589d43074a">reported.</a></li><li>One helicopter has been seen on his yacht, the other is owned by a company that used to own one of his aircraft.</li></ul>French authorities last week froze the ownership of two helicopters linked to Alisher Usmanov, Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/03/31/exclusive-france-freezes-two-helicopters-owned-by-sanctioned-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanov/?sh=b8589d43074a">reported</a> Thursday. Usmanov has been called one of "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-sanctions-wealth-putin-kremlin-money-ukraine-2022-3">Putin's favorite oligarch</a>" and has been sanctioned by the UK, US, Switzerland, and the European Union, which Usmanov says has said are based on "false and defamatory allegations." His assets include a superyacht, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-yacht-crew-fired-sanctions-dilbar-putin-2022-3">Dilbar</a>, which the US Treasury says could be worth between $600 million and $735 million. The French Ministry of Economy and Finance confirmed to Forbes that regulators froze two helicopters. One helicopter, an Airbus EC-17, was frozen in Le Castellet in southeastern France on March 22. The other was an Eurocopter EC-155 that was frozen in Monte Carlo, Monaco on March 25, per the outlet. Monaco is located along the French Riviera and has <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-03-01/card/monaco-unveils-sanctions-on-russia-DPulvWUj7qduMfB2F0XR">adopted</a> the same sanctions as the EU. Forbes estimated the two helicopters are worth $26 million. According to the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/alisher-usmanov/?sref=lAVQtUwz">Bloomberg Billionaire Index</a>, Usmanov is worth $19.6 billion. He said he <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-sanctions-wealth-putin-kremlin-money-ukraine-2022-3">invested $880 million in Facebook, </a>and he owns a stake in an investment group that controls <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>'s largest iron ore producer and a telecommunications company. <a href="https://cdn.occrp.org/projects/russian-asset-tracker/en/person/3/alisher-usmanov">A new Russian asset tracker</a> assembled by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project shows that Usmanov lists Usmanov's known minimum asset value at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-russian-oligarch-asset-tracker-uncovers-17-billion-planes-yachts-2022-3#2-alisher-usmanov-businessman-34-billion-6">$3..4 billion</a>, including two homes, a large aircraft, and 27 bank accounts in Switzerland. Usmanov's spokesperson shared a statement with Insider: "Most of the property, including the two helicopters, have been transferred into irrevocable trusts. Mr. Usmanov does not own them. The process of moving property into family trusts started many years ago and had nothing to do either with evading sanctions or with hiding wealth."Trusts are a way to give money to another person or entity, plus avoid taxes or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/what-is-a-trust-fund-estate-planning-tool">manage wealth in general</a>. The 27 bank accounts (with over $2 billion in them) in Switzerland with Credit Suisse are officially owned by Saodat Narzieva, Usmanov's sister, who is a gynecologist, per the OCCRP. However, the contact information for the accounts links to a groups associated with Usmanov, but his spokesperson told Forbes he has "never had personal accounts with Credit Suisse."Representatives for Narzieva told Insider that she does not know why her name would appear as the ultimate beneficial owner on the accounts except potentially that she once held shares worth about 0.6% of USM, Usmanov's holding company.One of the helicopters, however, Forbes wrote, is owned by Cayman Islands-based Margaux Aviation Limited, which used to own one of Usmanov's jets, an Airbus A340. The other helicopter has been seen on Usmanov's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-yacht-crew-fired-sanctions-dilbar-putin-2022-3">Dilbar yacht</a>. Forbes said that both helicopters were registered at the Isle of Man and were deregistered in March, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-helicopter-yacht-jets-ambramovich-isle-of-man-register-2022-3">like other Russian assets in the tax haven</a>. (When an aircraft is deregistered, it can't be flown.) One of the helicopters was last recorded in Le Castellet in November and the other last seen in Monte Carlo on March 1.

French authorities froze the ownership of 2 helicopters linked to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, report says

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 10 (ANI): <keyword id="246214" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Actor-and-Dancer" source="Orion">Actor and dancer</keyword> Nora Fatehi has joined choreographer <keyword id="6361404" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Remo-Dsouza" source="Orion">Remo D'souza</keyword> as a co-judge on the hip-hop-based dance reality show, 'Hip-Hop India'. She shared her excitement and said, "Hip-Hop India are literally the words that I like to shout out loud whenever I see anyone grooving and dancing. Hip-Hop is one of the coolest and most fun styles of dance that exists. To be a judge on this show and the fact that my co-judge is my dear friend, Remo D'Souza is nothing but pure excitement manifested into reality." Nora made her debut in the film 'Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans'. She gained popularity for her item songs in films like 'Temper', 'Baahubali: The Beginning' and 'Kick 2' and has also starred in two Malayalam films, 'Double Barrel' and 'Kayamkulam Kochunni'. She also appeared in the reality shows as a host and judge. Some of them included MTV's 'Dating in the Dark', 'Dance Deewane Juniors', 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10', among others. She also participated in 'Bigg Boss 9' and performed on the recreated version of 'Dilbar' in 'Satyameva Jayate'. Later, she collaborated with Tanzanian musician and songwriter Rayvanny to release her first international English debut song 'Pepeta'. She was also selected to feature in 'Light The Sky', a song for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, collaborating with artists, RedOne, Manal, Balqees and Rahma Riad. Nora will be next seen in director Sajid Khan's upcoming comedy film '100%' alongside John Abraham, Riteish Deshmukh and Shehnaaz Gill. 'Hip-Hop India' will stream from July 21 on Amazon miniTV. (ANI)

Nora Fatehi joins Remo D'souza as a co-judge on 'Hip-Hop India'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US has filed a civil forfeiture case against a $300 million superyacht it alleges is owned by a Russian oligarch.</li><li>The 348-foot luxury ship Amadea was bought by billionaire Suleiman Kerimov in September 2021, years after he was sanctioned, US officials say.</li></ul>Federal attorneys want to have a Russian oligarch's $300 million superyacht forfeited to the US, over a year after it was first seized by Fiji authorities after the war with Ukraine broke out.US Attorney Damian Williams on Monday filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the Amadea, an extravagant 348-foot-long luxury ship that US officials allege is owned by billionaire Suleiman Kerimov.The Amadea features a helicopter pad on its foredeck, a mosaic-lined swimming pool at the rear, fire pits, and an indoor movie theater, <a href="https://www.charterworld.com/index.html?sub=yacht-charter&amp;charter=motor-yacht-amadea-10526">according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters</a>.Kerimov was initially sanctioned in 2018 over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Williams wrote in court filings. Yet in 2021, he worked out a deal to buy the yacht through a series of corporate entities to obscure who owned the vessel and violated sanctions by having more than $1 million in maintenance work done on the ship, the court documents allege.The yacht was initially seized by Fiji authorities after it raced into the Pacific Ocean when the war with Ukraine broke out, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-63297797">according to a BBC report</a> published in November 2022.US prosecutor Andrew Adams told the BBC that authorities noticed the vessel "scrambling out of waters where we would normally be able to seize it" just weeks after Russian forces invaded Ukraine."Essentially, the boat tried to go dark," Adams said in an interview.The BBC reported that US officials believed the ship was going to race for Vladivostok, a Russian port near North Korea, when it was seized in Fiji.The ship was then seized by the US Department of Justice and moved to California where it remains docked.However, lawyers for a separate Russian oligarch claiming to own the yacht — Eduard Khudainatov, who hasn't been sanctioned — filed legal papers in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/superyacht-sanction-russia-ukraine-fiji-amadea-suleyman-kerimov-khudainatov-millemarin-2022-4">Fiji court last year</a>, seeking to have the boat turned back over.Khudainatov's lawyers <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-23/us-seeks-forfeiture-of-russian-tycoon-s-300-million-superyacht?srnd=premium-asia&amp;leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Bloomberg</a> that they've filed a lawsuit in San Diego, California as well seeking to get the superyacht back. A representative for Khudainatov's lawyers referred Insider to the filing. The legal wrangling surrounding the Amadea underscores the challenges over determining the actual owner of a superyacht due to a complex ownership structure that could include shell companies, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarchs-sanction-superyachts-work-expert-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">Insider reported in March last year.</a>It also prolongs the process of determining the next steps surrounding the yachts — which are sitting around and racking up millions of dollars in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-to-russian-oligarch-sanctioned-yachts-without-maintenance-crews-2022-3">annual maintenance fees.</a>In April last year, the US Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1498641/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> the yacht's running costs mount up to between $25 million and $30 million a year. The US complaint against the Amadea on Monday marks the latest development over the seizure of Russian assets after Moscow invaded Ukraine. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2023/04/14/inside-the-150-frozen-homes-yachts-and-jets-of-sanctioned-russian-oligarchs/?sh=61317fe4baff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes</a> estimated in April that Western countries have frozen or seized at least 15 superyachts linked to sanctioned Russian billionaires. Seized yachts include the $120 million <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/seized-russian-yacht-costs-taxpayers-28000-to-maintain-2023-9">Alfa Nero</a> that has been docked in the small Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda since February last year and the $735 million <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oligarch-usmanovs-superyacht-dilbar-seized-in-germany-2022-4">Dilbar</a>, which has been impounded in Germany.Governments that have seized Russian property are seeking to take over their ownership — and this would require authorities to prove that the assets were <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/09/russian-oligarch-yachts-this-is-what-happens-after-theyre-seized-.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">part of a crime.</a> They are considering using the interest generated from frozen Russian assets to help <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-reconstruction-war-eu-consider-interest-frozen-russian-assets-rebuild-2023-6">rebuild Ukraine</a>.October 24, 12.06 a.m. EDT: This story has been updated to include details of the Fiji complaint and adds background information on seized Russian yachts.

The US wants a Russian oligarch's seized $300 million superyacht that features an infinity pool, a movie theater, and a helicopter landing pad

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The crew of the Russian <keyword id="13329911" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="oligarch" source="Orion">oligarch</keyword> <keyword id="13345383" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="alisher-usmanov" source="Orion">Alisher Usmanov</keyword>'s superyacht was fired on Monday, reports said.</li><li>The company that staffed the boat said sanctions meant crew wages couldn't be paid, Forbes reported.</li></ul>The crew of the Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov's <a href="https://www.lurssen.com/en/new-build/yachts/dilbar/">512-foot superyacht</a> was fired after Western sanctions prevented wages from being paid to the vessel's staff, multiple outlets reported.Sarnia Yachts, a yacht-management company in the UK that provided the crew for the $600 million vessel, Dilbar, said in an email to staff on Monday that "normal operation of the yacht has ceased," and that its crew had to be dismissed "as a result of the sanctions imposed," <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/03/08/crew-of-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-dilbar-yacht-has-all-been-fired/?sh=70a8ec1c36b6">Forbes</a> reported.The West has imposed heavy sanctions on <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>, with the aim of crippling its economy and cutting off its military's funding, in an attempt to pressure President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>. The West has imposed sanctions not only on Russian banks but also on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-10-russian-oligarchs-sanctioned-by-eu-putin-ukraine-invasion-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">Russian elites and oligarchs</a>, and they include the seizure of assets such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/map-shows-russian-oligarch-yachts-on-move-sanctions-hit-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">private jets and superyachts</a>.<a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/02/28/russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine-council-imposes-sanctions-on-26-persons-and-one-entity/">The European Union,</a> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-sanctions-against-russian-oligarchs-alisher-usmanov-and-igor-shuvalov">UK</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-fresh-sanctions-russian-oligarchs-putin-press-secretary-ukraine-war-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">US</a>, and <a href="https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/fr/home/Aussenwirtschaftspolitik_Wirtschaftliche_Zusammenarbeit/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/exportkontrollen-und-sanktionen/sanktionen-embargos/sanktionsmassnahmen/massnahmen-zur-vermeidung-der-umgehung-internationaler-sanktione.html">Switzerland</a> have all sanctioned Usmanov, freezing his assets and, in some cases, barring him from entering their territory. The EU <a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/02/28/russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine-council-imposes-sanctions-on-26-persons-and-one-entity/">said</a> Usmanov "actively supported" the Russian government's policies of the destabilization of Ukraine.Usmanov is worth an estimated $18.4 billion, the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-sanctions-against-russian-oligarchs-alisher-usmanov-and-igor-shuvalov">UK government</a> said. He is the founder of USM Holdings, which has interests in <a href="https://usm-group.com/">metals, mining, and telecoms</a>. His largest holding is in the Russian steel giant Metalloinvest. The European Union <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2022:059:FULL&amp;from=EN">said</a> he had "particularly close ties" to the Kremlin, calling him one of "Putin's favorite oligarchs."The US has declared Dilbar <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0628">"blocked property,"</a> which prohibits US staff from working on the vessel and bans the payment for its docking fees in US dollars. Sarnia said in Monday's email to staff that the sanctions meant that some of the companies supporting Dilbar's crew were "unable to continue their normal lines of business," Forbes reported. Sarnia added that it was unable to continue paying salaries to the ship's crew, and that their final wages would instead be paid by the boat's owner, Forbes said."We have tried all avenues to find a solution to keep the team in place, and protect our positions, but have reached the end of the road of possibilities," Tim Armstrong, the yacht's captain, wrote in a message to the crew, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/usmanov-s-superyacht-to-languish-in-hamburg-after-crew-depart?srnd=wealth&amp;sref=lAVQtUwz">Bloomberg</a> reported.The US Treasury <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0628">said</a> Dilbar's estimated value was between $600 million and $735 million, and that it cost an estimated $60 million per year to run.Its builder, Lürssen, <a href="https://www.lurssen.com/en/new-build/yachts/dilbar/">says</a> it's the "largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage." The vessel is equipped with two helicopter pads and has its own 82-foot swimming pool.Forbes reported that the ship usually had 96 crew members on board, while <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/usmanov-s-superyacht-to-languish-in-hamburg-after-crew-depart?srnd=wealth&amp;sref=lAVQtUwz">Bloomberg</a> put the figure at 80.Sarnia said in the email to the crew that a small number of staff from Lürssen, which owns the Hamburg shipyard where Dilbar has been docked for a refitting since October, would instead look after the "safety and security" of the ship, Forbes reported.Forbes also reported that Dilbar <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/germany-seizes-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-mega-yacht-forbes-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">had been seized</a> by German authorities on March 2, but it issued a correction the following day that said the ship hadn't been impounded. Hamburg's Ministry for Economy and Innovation told Bloomberg that Dilbar wouldn't be able to leave the port until it received an export waiver from Germany's federal customs agency.Lürssen declined to comment. Sarnia Yachts and Hamburg's Ministry for Economy and Innovation did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

The crew of a Russian oligarch's $600 million superyacht was fired after sanctions meant wages couldn't be paid, reports say

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13345383" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="alisher-usmanov" source="Orion">Alisher Usmanov</keyword> is among the Russian oligarchs hit by Western sanctions after the country invaded <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>.</li><li>Usmanov founded USM Holdings, had a 30% stake in Arsenal, and owns a $600 million superyacht.</li></ul>Alisher Usmanov is one of <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>'s richest people and believed to be a close personal ally of President Vladimir Putin.But his wealth has started plummeting following a series of sanctions against Russia's elite in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine. According to the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/alisher-usmanov/?sref=lAVQtUwz">Bloomberg Billionaire Index</a>, Usmanov's net worth has fallen by nearly a quarter since February 22, as a fresh batch of Western sanctions on Russian banks and entities began to shake the country's economy.<a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/02/28/russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine-council-imposes-sanctions-on-26-persons-and-one-entity/">The European Union,</a> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-sanctions-against-russian-oligarchs-alisher-usmanov-and-igor-shuvalov">UK</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-fresh-sanctions-russian-oligarchs-putin-press-secretary-ukraine-war-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">US</a>, and <a href="https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/fr/home/Aussenwirtschaftspolitik_Wirtschaftliche_Zusammenarbeit/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/exportkontrollen-und-sanktionen/sanktionen-embargos/sanktionsmassnahmen/massnahmen-zur-vermeidung-der-umgehung-internationaler-sanktione.html">Switzerland</a> have all sanctioned Usmanov, freezing his assets and, in some cases, barring him from entering their territory.Usmanov <a href="https://fie.org/articles/1157">said</a> that the sanctions were based on "false and defamatory allegations" and that he would use "all legal means" to protect his reputation.<h2>Who is Alisher Usmanov?</h2>Usmanov was born in Chust, a small city in Uzbekistan, in <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/a472f9e6-28c6-11ea-9305-4234e74b0ef3">1953</a>. He's now listed as the world's 99th-richest person on the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/alisher-usmanov/?sref=lAVQtUwz">Bloomberg Billionaire Index</a>, worth an estimated $17.7 billion.Usmanov first started amassing his fortune before the collapse of the Soviet Union, when he <a href="https://www.intellinews.com/long-read-alisher-usmanov-the-path-of-a-game-changer-181968/">set up a business selling plastic bags</a>, which were in high demand.He's since founded, invested in, or served on the board of dozens of companies. He was <a href="https://usm-group.com/founder-alisher-usmanov/">general director of Gazprom Investholding</a> from 2000 to 2014. He bought Russian business newspaper Kommersant in 2006 and owns real-estate developer <a href="https://pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/108336-97">Khimki Group</a>.Usmanov owns 49% of USM Holdings, which he founded in <a href="https://usm-group.com/company/">2012</a> "to streamline and consolidate" some of his projects. The investment group has interests in <a href="https://usm-group.com/">metals, mining, and telecoms</a>, and owns Metalloinvest — which claims to be <a href="https://www.metalloinvest.com/en/about/company-profile/">Russia's largest iron ore producer</a> — as well as the Russian telecommunications company MegaFon. Usmanov has invested in <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-03-17/billionaire-usmanov-turns-to-china-after-selling-apple-facebook">JD.com, Apple, Alibaba</a>, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-tech-fridman-idUSKCN0VL1FI">Uber</a>, and told <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/a472f9e6-28c6-11ea-9305-4234e74b0ef3">The Financial Times</a> that at one point he controlled almost 8% of Facebook's stock after investing around $880 million.Usmanov sold a 30% stake in English soccer club Arsenal in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45102559">2018</a>. USM Holdings sponsors Everton's training ground and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jan/14/alisher-usmanov-naming-rights-everton-new-stadium">paid £30 million</a> for the naming rights for its new stadium. Everton is owned by Farhad Moshiri, the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60565945?at_medium=RSS&amp;at_campaign=KARANGA">chairman</a> and a shareholder of USM Holdings.<div type="image" title="Alisher Usmanov" height="2912" width="3882" msid="90155975" hostid="261"></div><h2>Usmanov is one of 'Putin's favorite oligarchs'</h2>The EU <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2022:059:FULL&amp;from=EN">said</a> Usmanov has "particularly close ties" to the Kremlin, calling him one of "Putin's favorite oligarchs." It added that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had previously made "personal use" of properties controlled by Usmanov and that the Kommersant took a "manifestly pro-Kremlin stance" after Usmanov bought it.The EU <a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/02/28/russia-s-military-aggression-against-ukraine-council-imposes-sanctions-on-26-persons-and-one-entity/">also said</a> Usmanov "actively supported" the Russian government's policies of the destabilization of Ukraine.Usmanov is closely linked to other sanctioned oligarchs. He set up Metalloinvest with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarchs-try-to-escape-sanctions-take-jets-yachts-dubai-2022-3">Andrei Skoch</a>, and told <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/a472f9e6-28c6-11ea-9305-4234e74b0ef3">The Financial Times</a> in 2020 that he was "very good friends" with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roman-abramovich-sanctions-oleg-deripaska-russian-oligarch-billionaires-2022-3">Roman Abramovich</a>.Usmanov owns a 512-foot yacht, Dilbar, which the US Treasury <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0628">says</a> is one of the world's largest superyachts. The vessel has two helicopter pads and a 82-foot swimming pool <a href="https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/dilbar/">said</a> to be the largest on any yacht, and the US Treasury <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0628">reports</a> its estimated value was between $600 million and $735 million.Dilbar has been declared <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0628">"blocked property"</a> by the US, and Forbes reported that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-yacht-crew-fired-sanctions-dilbar-putin-2022-3">the yacht's crew was fired</a> after Western sanctions meant wages couldn't be paid.Usmanov has also been <a href="https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/lady-gulya/">linked</a> to another yacht worth around $300 million which is currently <a href="https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:5673838/mmsi:319165800/imo:1013016/vessel:ALAIYA">docked in Sri Lanka</a>. Usmanov bought the yacht — which has reportedly been known as <a href="https://maritime-executive.com/article/report-germany-seizes-its-first-russian-oligarch-owned-megayacht">Lady Gulya, Tis, and Alaiya</a> — while Dilbar was being repaired, according to <a href="https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/lady-gulya/">Superyacht Fan</a>.Usmanov also owns an Airbus A340-300, which the US Treasury says is one of the largest privately owned planes in Russia and is believed to have cost between $350 and $500 million. According to the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-sanctions-against-russian-oligarchs-alisher-usmanov-and-igor-shuvalov">UK Government</a>, Usmanov owns a 32,500-square foot house in London, worth an estimated £48 million, as well as a 16th-century manor house.A <a href="https://izumi-style.ru/presidents/alisher-usmanov">former professional fencer</a>, Usmanov became president of the International Fencing Federation in 2008, but <a href="https://fie.org/articles/1157">stepped down on March 1</a> because of the sanctions.

Who is Alisher Usmanov, the sanctioned Russian billionaire said to be one of Putin's 'favorite oligarchs'?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Construction of some <keyword id="13286043" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="superyachts" source="Orion">superyachts</keyword> thought to be destined for Russians can no longer proceed due to sanctions.</li><li>People have already started making offers to take over the contracts, sources told Bloomberg.</li></ul>Shipbuilders have started receiving offers on superyachts under construction for wealthy Russians who may no longer be able to take ownership of them due to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-are-sanctions-russia-ukraine-invasion-us-eu-uk-nato-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">sanctions</a>, people in the industry told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-11/at-dubai-yacht-show-whispers-of-industry-crisis-after-sanctions?srnd=wealth&amp;sref=lAVQtUwz">Bloomberg</a>.As well as imposing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-western-sanctions-declaration-of-war-economy-ukraine-invasion-expert-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">sanctions on Russia's banks</a>, Western countries are targeting some powerful Russian individuals and businesses as part of attempts to ratchet up pressure on President Vladimir Putin to abandon the invasion of <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>. The sanctions prohibit shipbuilders from accepting payment from anyone targeted by the measures.Superyachts also come under the scope of new G7 and EU sanctions that will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-sanctions-us-eu-ban-luxury-exports-yachts-cars-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">ban the export of luxury goods to Russia</a>.It means that shipbuilders are being left with unfinished super<keyword id="12387568" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="yachts" source="Orion">yachts</keyword> that may originally have been destined for the Russian elite, but can no longer be sold to them. It causes potential headaches for the builders because the sheer size of the yachts means they're tricky to move and take up valuable space in shipyards while the projects are on hold.However, constructors have been receiving offers to take over the contracts, industry sources at the Dubai International Boat Show, who declined to be named because of the confidentiality of their clients, told Bloomberg. Tight capacity at shipyards limits how many yachts can be built at a time. Taking over contracts midway through construction could allow some wealthy individuals to essentially jump the queue and nab a luxury yacht sooner.Russians are the second-biggest group of owners of <keyword id="12425898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="superyacht" source="Orion">superyacht</keyword>s in the world, Bloomberg reported, citing a 2021 report by SuperYacht Times. Many superyachts currently under construction in shipyards have likely been ordered by Russians, Sam Tucker, head of superyachts at maritime data company VesselsValue, told Bloomberg.Countries have been sanctioning and, in some cases, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-andrey-melnichenko-578-million-yacht-seized-by-italy-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">seizing assets</a> belonging to wealthy Russians, including private jets and yachts. The US has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-yacht-crew-fired-sanctions-dilbar-putin-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">barred it citizens from working on Russian metals and mining tycoon Alisher Usmanov's $600 million superyacht Dilbar</a>, and outlawed payment of its docking fees in US dollars. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-andrey-melnichenko-578-million-yacht-seized-by-italy-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">Italian authorities have seized a $578 million megayacht owned by sanctioned billionaire Andrey Melnichenko</a>.Dilbar, Usmanov's yacht, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-alisher-usmanov-yacht-crew-fired-sanctions-dilbar-putin-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">had to fire its staff</a> because sanctions meant their wages couldn't be paid.Some Russians have been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarchs-try-to-escape-sanctions-take-jets-yachts-dubai-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">moving their vessels</a> in the days after sanctions were announced, including the billionaire <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarchs-yachts-roman-abramovich-sail-east-uk-sanctions-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">Roman Abramovich</a>, who has reportedly moved two vessels worth more than $1 billion.Though <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>'s invasion of Ukraine cast a shadow upon the boat show in Dubai, industry professionals largely avoided that term and instead referred to it as "the situation," Bloomberg reported."Everybody's talking about it," Rainer Behne, chairman of BehneMar, a yacht broker and consultant, told the publication.

Shipbuilders are receiving a rush of offers on superyachts under construction amid sanctions on Russian elites

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Luna <keyword id="12425898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="superyacht" source="Orion">superyacht</keyword> was frozen by authorities in a German port, local media reported.</li><li>Its owner, pro-Kremlin oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov, was sanctioned by the EU in April.</li></ul>A luxury superyacht has been frozen in a German port after the police verified that its owner is a sanctioned, pro-Kremlin businessman, the country's media reported.Germany's federal police established as of this week that the yacht's owner is Farkhad Akhmedov, an Azerbaijani businessman with close ties to the Kremlin, as <a href="https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/sanktionen-bka-yacht-1.5582169">Süddeutsche Zeitung first reported</a>. Akhmedov was on April 8 swept into <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2022:110:FULL&amp;from=EN">a round of European Union sanctions</a> in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Luna stayed in the port of Hamburg while German police unpicked the vessel's complex ownership structure, the paper reported. The Port of Hamburg confirmed the move in a statement to Insider. The German federal police did not immediately repond to Insider's request for comment.The yacht had been held in a Lichtenstein trust, a mechanism often used to conceal assets, as part of a bitter divorce row between Akhmedov and his ex-wife, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8648145/Wife-Britains-biggest-divorce-case-NEVER-hands-exs-343million-superyacht.html">MailOnline reported</a>.The yacht is worth an approximate 400 million euros, or around $420 million, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-dubai-russia-divorce-yacht-idUSKBN25G1Z5">Reuters put that figure at around $460 million</a>.It measures 377 feet long and boasts nine decks and even has a mini-submarine, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/apr/21/oligarch-son-temur-akhmedov-told-to-pay-mother-75m-in-worlds-biggest-divorce-case">According to The Guardian</a>, it has 10 VIP cabins and a 66-foot-long swimming pool. It's the second yacht in the port of Hamburg to be frozen in connection with the Ukraine war. The world's largest yacht, the $735 million Dilbar, was impounded there in mid-April after police found that it was owned by the sister of sanctioned Uzbek-Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oligarch-usmanovs-superyacht-dilbar-seized-in-germany-2022-4">as Insider's Dominick Reuter reported</a>. <a href="http://reuters.com/article/us-dubai-russia-divorce-yacht-idUSKBN25G1Z5">According to Reuters</a>, the Luna was built for the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, who sold it to Akhmedov in 2014.The Luna has a troubled history. In 2019, it was at the center of a deeply rancorous divorce settlement row between Akhmedov, his ex-wife Tatiana Akhmedova, and their son Temur, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/dec/02/oligarchs-son-temur-akhmedov-flees-to-russia-mother-sues-over-hiding-divorce-millions">The Guardian reported</a>. During the case Akhmedova claimed Temur helped his father conceal around $530 million in assets, including the yacht, the paper reported. Her settlement did not include the Luna, the paper reported.

$420 million yacht owned by pro-Kremlin oligarch that comes with its own mini submarine is frozen in German port

<ul class="summary-list"><li>At least 13 luxury boats have been seized in <keyword id="11897120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="europe" source="Orion">Europe</keyword> since Putin launched a war on <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>.</li><li>The mega <keyword id="12387568" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="yachts" source="Orion">yachts</keyword> are linked to Russian oligarchs and are valued between $8 million and $606 million.</li></ul>More than $2 billion worth of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-mega-yachts-belonging-to-russian-oligarchs-2022-3">mega yachts linked to Russian billionaires</a> have been seized in Europe since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a war on Ukraine in late February, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-04/russian-superyachts-worth-over-2-billion-are-detained-in-europe?srnd=premium&amp;sref=urpXDkpn">Bloomberg</a> reported.At least 13 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-mega-yachts-belonging-to-russian-oligarchs-2022-3#the-amore-vero-2">yachts</a> valued between $8 million and $606 million have been seized or impounded in the EU and UK as officials continue to sanction <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>'s elite, according to the outlet.The US, alongside the UK and EU, imposed economic sanctions on Russian oligarchs — many of whom moved their mega yachts to regions where they cannot be seized, including the Maldives.It can be tricky to pin down the owners of the yachts, but enough "public speculation" suggesting a Russian oligarch is the owner is typically "sufficient for a seizure," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-seize-yachts-sanctions-putin-russian-oligarchs-legal-practical-problems-2022-3">Insider's Joseph Zeballos-Roig and Hillary Hoffower </a>reported. Spain is reportedly holding four of these yachts, including the $8 million Lady Anastasia linked to Alexander Mikheev, the $95 million Valerie linked to Sergei Chemezov, the $95 million vessel Tango linked to Viktor Vekselberg, and the $468 million yacht Crescent linked to Igor Sechin.France holds three more vessels, including another yacht worth $125 million also linked to Sechin called the Amore Vero. The country is also holding two yachts linked to Alexey Kuzmichev — the $22 million Little Bear and the $77 million Big Bear.Italy is reportedly holding the $34 million Lady M, which is linked to Alexei Mordashov; the $575 million Sailing Yacht A, which is linked to Andrey Melnichenko; and the $38 million Lena, which is linked to Gennady Timchenko.Germany holds the largest ship, the Dilbar, which is linked to Alisher Usmanov and valued at $606 million. Gibraltar, a British territory, is holding the $68 million Axioma, which is linked to Dmitry Pumpyansky, while England has taken control of the $38 million Phi, linked to Vitaly Kochetkov.

Over $2 billion worth of yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been seized in Europe so far

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12754126" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sanctions" source="Orion">Sanctions</keyword> against <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword> and its oligarchs have been implemented by several countries.</li><li>A Russian billionaire had his <keyword id="12378789" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="yacht" source="Orion">yacht</keyword> seized by German authorities on Wednesday, Forbes reported.</li></ul><keyword id="11892705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="germany" source="Orion">Germany</keyword> seized Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov's mega-yacht on Wednesday, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/03/02/germans-seize-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-mega-yacht/?utm_source=ForbesMainTwitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainTwitter&amp;sh=2e2d1c6a52dd">according to Forbes, which cited multiple unnamed sources.</a>Usmanov's yacht, which has been docked in Hamburg, Germany, for months for a refitting, is the first to be seized since Russia's attack on <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword> began on February 24.Dilbar, a 512-foot yacht that weighs 15,917 tons, "is the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage," according to <a href="https://www.lurssen.com/en/new-build/yachts/dilbar/">Lürssen</a>, the German ship's maker.Usmanov bought the custom-built yacht for an estimated $600 million and it took 52 months to build, according to Forbes. The US State Department was unable to confirm to Insider if the yacht was indeed seized. Usmanov and Germany's Federal Foreign Office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.Many <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/25/business/list-global-sanctions-russia-ukraine-war-intl-hnk/index.html">countries, including the US and the European Union</a>, have implemented sanctions — financial consequences applied by one party to another — against Russian banks, Russian oligarchs, and even Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an effort to end the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Usmanov's assets were frozen as part of sanctions levied by the European Union, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/01/alisher-usmanov-billionaire-with-everton-links-has-assets-frozen-by-eu">the Guardian.</a> After the European Union announced sanctions against Usmanov and other Russian oligarchs, he stepped down as President of the <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="international" source="Orion">International</keyword> Fencing Federation, one of his companies."I believe that such a decision is unfair, and the reasons employed to justify the sanctions are a set of false and defamatory allegations damaging my honor, dignity, and business reputation," Usmanov said in a <a href="https://fie.org/articles/1157">statement</a> on the company's website."I hereby suspend the exercise of my duties as the President of the International Fencing Federation effective immediately until justice is restored," he added.The oligarch has historically supported Russian President Vladimir Putin, though he has not commented on the current attack on Ukraine."I am proud that I know Putin, and the fact that everybody does not like him is not Putin's problem," the Uzbekistan-born oligarch <a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0329/billionaires-2010-europe-usmanov-internet-media-hard-man-of-russia/?sh=6918cc545b35">told Forbes in a 2010 interview</a>.

Germany seized the world's largest mega-yacht. It's worth $600 million and belongs to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a Forbes report says.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider mapped the locations of 19 <keyword id="12387568" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="yachts" source="Orion">yachts</keyword> belonging to Russian <keyword id="13281691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="oligarchs" source="Orion">oligarchs</keyword>. </li><li>Sanctions prompted by Putin's invasion of Ukraine have put their prize assets in danger.</li></ul>Following President Vladimir Putin's invasion of <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword> and a raft of sanctions, yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs became the focus of international attention. Using automatic tracking data, Insider mapped the location of 19 yachts belonging to some of Putin's closest inner circle as of March 3.Their locations and routes suggest that several are heading to places that they can't be seized or with significant tax advantages. <iframe title="Locations of Russian oligarch yachts" id="datawrapper-chart-9ebqY" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/9ebqY/8/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% ; border: none;" height="577"></iframe>Seizure is a real worry. On Thursday, the French finance ministry said it had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-superyacht-seized-france-ukraine-igor-sechin-darth-vader-2022-3">seized the Amore Vero</a>, a $120 million super-yacht belonging to Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, which was moored in a French port. The 500-foot Dilbar, belonging to Alisher Usmanov, was in Hamburg as of Thursday. That day, port authorities in Hamburg denied <a href="https://www.forbes.com./sites/giacomotognini/2022/03/02/update-fate-of-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-mega-yacht-in-germany-uncertain/?sh=7452e4475bd8">a report in Forbes</a> that it had seized the vessel, Reuters reported. Usmanov is the subject of sanctions from the US, the UK and the EU. Putin's own Graceful left Hamburg on February 7, Insider's map shows, and was last seen in Kaliningrad, Russia. <div type="image" title="The yacht 'Graceful' of Russian President Vladimir Putin is moored at the port of Sochi, Russia, 13 July 2015." height="2225" width="4450" msid="89993627" hostid="261"></div>Insider's map also shows four mega-yachts, belonging to Vladimir Potanin, Alexander Abramov, Alexei Mordashovis, and Oleg Deripaska, were in the Maldives. The Maldives, a small island nation in the Indian Ocean, does not have an extradition treaty with the US. The Nirvana, belonging to Potanin, was under way with the stated destination of Bandos, an island in the Maldives, but actually was heading northwest. As of March 4, Potanin — Russia's richest man — was not a target of sanctions.The $100 million Titan, belonging to Alexander Abramov, arrived in the Maldives on February 28, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/03/germany-seizes-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-600m-superyacht-report">the Guardian reported</a>. Abramov, chair of Russia's largest steel company, has also so far escaped the US sanctions list. Meanwhile, two yachts belonging to Roman Abramovich were moored in tax haven Sint Maarten as of Thursday. Dmitry Rybolovlev's yacht, named Anna, left Sint Maarten on February 14 and as of Thursday was sailing near St Vincent and the Grenadines, another tax haven.Neither <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220302-spotlight-shines-on-monaco-s-russian-owner-rybolovlev">Rybolovlev</a> nor <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/building-sanctions-case-against-abramovich-and-oligarchs-may-take-months-r8096scc6">Abramovich</a> were under sanctions, but are both high profile football magnates under increasing scrutiny as Russian troops advance in Ukraine.The yachts, often valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, are huge repositories of wealth.They became even more important assets when western countries began cracking down on oligarchs, who have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-billionaires-lost-more-than-80-billion-combined-wealth-2022-3">lost approximately one third of their combined wealth</a> due to the impact of sanctions, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/russian-billionaires-count-cost-of-83-billion-wealth-wipeout">according to Bloomberg Billionaires' Index</a>.

Map shows Russian oligarch yachts around the world as some flee to places they can't get seized

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Oligarchs' <keyword id="13286043" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="superyachts" source="Orion">superyachts</keyword> have captured attention as sanctioned Russian elite have their assets seized.</li><li>Their vessels function as necessary status symbols, experts told Insider.</li></ul>In recent weeks, the West has seized <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarchs-roman-abramovich-superyachts-properties-jets-seized-2022-3">at least nine multimillion-dollar luxury yachts</a> belonging to Russian oligarchs as part of wide-ranging sanctions aimed at pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop his invasion of <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>.Private jets and luxury properties have been seized, too. But it's the superyachts worth hundreds of millions of dollars that have captured the public's attention."You have to have a yacht, otherwise you're not an oligarch," Anders Åslund, an economist and author of "<keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>'s Crony Capitalism," told Insider. "It's a very status-conscious group." <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-superyacht-seized-france-ukraine-igor-sechin-darth-vader-2022-3">Igor Sechin</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-billionaire-alexei-kuzmichev-super-yachts-seized-france-authorities-2022-3">Alexei Kuzmichev</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarch-andrey-melnichenko-578-million-yacht-seized-by-italy-2022-3">Andrey Melnichenko</a> are among the Russian oligarchs who have had their vessels detained.Of the world's <keyword id="12387568" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="yachts" source="Orion">yachts</keyword> measuring longer than 131 feet, US clients own roughly 23% and Russians own about 9%, according to a <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/market-reports/syt-market-report-2021">2021 report from SuperYacht Times</a>.US and Russian clients own a roughly equal number of 131-foot-plus superyachts built in the past decade, however, according to the SuperYachtTimes report.<h2>Bigger the yacht, bigger the status</h2>Russian-owned yachts average roughly 200 feet in length, which is longer than vessels owned by people from the UK, France, Italy, and Germany, per the SuperYacht Times report.The size and value of the <keyword id="12062559" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boats" source="Orion">boats</keyword> function as a sort of "who's who" of Russia's political elite, experts said. Åslund said the richest clients, like Putin, have yachts worth $600 or $700 million, while "run-of-the-mill billionaires" own vessels worth between $100 and $150 million."Clearly, there's an element of competition," Daniel Treisman, a professor of political science at UCLA and research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, told Insider. "A bigger yacht is a symbol of higher status."Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich owns at least two superyachts. The biggest, Eclipse, measures 533 feet and is worth around $700 million, per <a href="https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/eclipse/">SuperYachtFan</a>. And Alisher Usmanov owns the 511-foot <a href="https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/dilbar/">Dilbar</a>, the world's biggest yacht by gross tonnage, which is thought to be worth around $800 million.<div type="image" title="The &quot;Eclipse&quot; belonging to Roman Abramovich." height="4000" width="6000" msid="90705177" hostid="261"></div><h2>What makes a superyacht?</h2>To be classified as a superyacht a vessel typically has to be <a href="https://www.yachtworld.com/research/what-is-a-superyacht-is-a-megayacht-bigger/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">at least 80 feet in length</a>. Megayachts are longer than 200 feet.The world's longest superyacht is believed to be <a href="https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/azzam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Azzam</a>, a 590-foot Lürssen owned by the president of the United Arab Emirates.Some superyachts are used solely by their owners <a href="https://www.worthavenueyachts.com/05-08-2019/megayacht-vs-superyacht/">while others are chartered out</a>, which can help owners cover some of their expenses, Benjamin Maltby, a partner at Keystone Law who specializes in superyachts, told Insider. As well as being expensive to buy, superyachts are expensive to run. Maltby told Insider in a separate interview that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-to-russian-oligarch-sanctioned-yachts-without-maintenance-crews-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">the maintenance cost of a yacht</a> can be between 15% and 20% of its overall value.<h2>Superyachts offer a luxurious lifestyle</h2>Yachts also demand crew and entertainment costs."Once the owners and the guests board, they're going to be comfortable," said Betty De Varona of Florida-based brokerage <a href="https://www.yachtingexperts.com/">Yachting Experts</a>. "They're not going to be cooking their own dinners, making their beds, watching the boat. They're tended to."<div type="image" title="Galactica Super Nova yacht" height="848" width="1200" msid="90705179" hostid="261"></div>One yacht owner, who is not a Russian oligarch, and asked to remain anonymous for privacy and security reasons, said that the large boats are just plain fun. (Insider verified his yacht ownership through documentation). The yacht owner told Insider that he bought the 142-foot Christensen in 2021, which is licensed to carry 12 passengers and is called "Grade I.""It's something you can bring all of your friends and family, and share with them and have an over-the-top vacation," he said, explaining that while on board, he and his friends could fish twice a day, eat food cooked by a private chef, jet ski, scuba dive, and explore remote islands.<div type="image" title="Phi superyacht London" height="3120" width="4160" msid="90705180" hostid="261"></div>Brett Snyder, harbormaster at Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, said he could see why someone on the run might want one. "If you need somewhere to park some money, if things ever hit the fan, you can just bail. You can be anywhere the world," he said.It might look easy for a yacht to flit to Dubai or the Maldives. But, the purpose of yachts isn't secreting away money, Åslund said. "If you want something secret, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-real-estate-brokers-with-russian-oligarch-clients-2022-3">buy an apartment in New York</a>," he said.

Oligarchs don't just love their superyachts &mdash; they also use them to cement their status among Russia's elite

No billionaire is complete without a superyacht of his or her own. In fact, a November report from Wealth-X and the UBS Global Billionaire Census <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-average-global-billionaire-2013-11">found that the average billionaire</a> spends $22 million on yachts. 
The latest study from <a href="http://www.wealthx.com/articles/2013/top-10-all-time-luxury-asset-acqusition/">Wealth-X ranks the most expensive luxury asset acquisitions</a> of all time, and it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that eight of the top ten purchases were yachts. 
Wealth-X uses a proprietary valuation model to assess all asset holdings including privately and publicly held businesses and investible assets to develop their Net Worth Valuation. 
Here, in reverse order, are the 8 most expensive yacht purchases of all time. 
<h3>8. Dilbar, $263 million</h3>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52af6c61eab8eaca57e7892f-1200-600/dilbar-yacht-1.jpg?maxX=800" border="0" alt="dilbar yacht" width="800" /><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yacht_Dilbar_17.jpg">Axou, Wikimedia Commons</a></div></div>Alisher Usmanov, Russia's wealthiest man, bought this 360-foot superyacht for $263 million in 2012. Dilbar, named after the billionaire's mother, <a href="http://www.superyachtfan.com/superyacht_dilbar.html">has accommodations for 20 guests</a> and up to 47 crew members, in addition to a helicopter pad, swimming pool, and swanky formal dining room. 
<h3>7. Radiant, $286 million</h3>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52af6ba36da81164618f31f7-723-361/radiant-yacht.jpg" border="0" alt="Radiant yacht" width="800" /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joseanmomo/9403413460/">Jose Antonio Moreno Monge/Flickr</a></div></div>Originally commissioned by Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, this 360-foot yacht was sold to Abdulla Al Futtaim, a billionaire car dealer from the United Arab Emirates. Radiant's amenities put a James Bond twist on the typical superyacht experience.<a href="http://www.yachtandcrew.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=143:motor-yacht-radiant-110-m-lurssen-2010&amp;catid=61:motor-yacht--100-m&amp;Itemid=94"> It's equipped with sonic guns that would</a> burst the eardrums of attackers, along with water cannons that could sink an approaching boat from 100 yards away. There's even a smaller speedboat designed specifically for a quick escape. 
<h3>5. (tie) Pelorus, $300 million</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52af5deaeab8ead93643dd72-1200-600/pelorusap-1.jpg" border="0" alt="pelorusap" width="800" />Music mogul <a href="http://www.boatinternational.com/yacht-features/iconic-yachts-pelorus/">David Geffen purchased </a>Pelorus from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in May 2011. Since one helicopter pad just isn't enough, this superyacht has two, in addition to two swimming pools and a collection of smaller boats on the tender deck. One guest suite has a wall that lowers to transform into an ultra-private veranda.
<h3>5. (tie) Dubai, $300 million </h3>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52af6ad169bedd6634e7892c-1200-600/dubai-yacht.jpg" border="0" alt="Dubai yacht" style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;" />Ross Land/Getty Images</div></div></div>The Dubai, which currently belongs to Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh of the emirate of Dubai, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=7860870">was the most expensive yacht in the wold</a> when it was built by Blohm + Voss in 2006. At 524 feet, it's the third-largest private yacht in the world, and it boasts seven decks, a squash room, helicopter pad, and even a small submarine.
<h3>4. A, $323 million</h3>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52af5766ecad04f45e6ee2e4-1200-600/melnichenko-boat-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Melnichenko boat" width="800" />Reuters/Tim Chong</div></div>This elegant, Philippe Starck-designed superyacht belongs to Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko. Among its luxurious amenities are bath faucets worth $40,000, staircase banisters worth $60,000, and a bed that rotates with the touch of a button, allowing for perfect views of the sunrise and sunset. A has had its fair share of controversies, however, as the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-latest-in-a-russian-oligarchs-100-million-yacht-paint-lawsuit-2013-12">Melnichenkos are currently suing</a> Dutch paint corporation Akzo Nobel, claiming the yacht's paint is not as reflective as they had requested. 
<h3> 3. Serene, $330 million</h3>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52af5fc1ecad042d6e6ee2dd-1024-512/serene-yacht-5.jpg" border="0" alt="serene yacht" width="800" /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinvars/6561172885/">martinvarsavsky, Flickr</a></div></div>Russian vodka distributor Yuri Scheffler owns this 440-foot yacht, which has turquoise neon lights that give it a nighttime glow. <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021652428_sereneyachtxml.html">It has a combined 48,000 square feet of covered space</a> on its seven decks, including indoor and outdoor pools, 12 pools, and an outdoor screening room. Scheffler purchased the Italian-designed yacht for $330 million in 2011. 
<h3> 2. Eclipse, $485 million</h3>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52af64776bb3f7675e43dd64-1200-600/roman-abramovich-yacht-eclipse-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Roman Abramovich Yacht Eclipse " width="800" />Robert Johnson/Business Insider</div></div>Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich purchased the 536-foot-long Eclipse in 2010, when it still held the title for world's largest yacht. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photographs-roman-abramovich-superyacht-the-eclipse-pier-90-new-york-city-2013-5#">Eclipse has two helipads</a>, a disco, cinema, hair salon, and restaurant, plus it's rumored to have a laser defense system against paparazzi trying to photograph high-profile guests. 
<h3> 1. Azzam, $627 million</h3>
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52af6881eab8ea0d4f43dd6a-1200-600/azzam-from-the-air-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Azzam from the air" width="800" />Klaus Jordan</div></div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/largest-yacht-in-the-world-the-azzam-2013-8#comments">The largest and most expensive yacht in the world</a> is a staggering 590 feet long (longer than some commercial cruise ships) and owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates. It took German shipbuilders <a href="http://lurssen.com/">Lürssen Yachts</a> four years to build this behemoth of a ship, which is rumored to have up to 50 private suites. According to Wealth-X, the $627 million purchase was only about 3.5% of Sheikh Khalif's net worth of $17.9 billion. 
<h3>BONUS: The Other Two Most Expensive Purchases Of All Time</h3>
There have been two other luxury purchases in the range of these superyachts. They were: 
<ul>
<li>Russian tycoon <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dmitry-rybolovlev-bank-of-cyprus-2013-3">Dmitry Rybolovlev's Monaco home</a>, which set him back $286 million. It tied for eighth with Abdulla Al Futtaim's Radiant yacht. </li>
<li>At $500 million, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-virtually-untouched-hawaiian-island-is-on-sale-for-600-million-2012-6">Larry Ellison's purchase of Hawaiian island Lanai</a> was the second largest luxury asset acquisition of all time. </li>
</ul>

You Searched For "dilbar" and got 13 results

Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov's $735 million superyacht Dilbar — the largest in the world — has been impounded in Germany

Dominick Reuter

French authorities froze the ownership of 2 helicopters linked to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, report says

Gabrielle Bienasz

Nora Fatehi joins Remo D'souza as a co-judge on 'Hip-Hop India'

BI India Bureau

The US wants a Russian oligarch's seized $300 million superyacht that features an infinity pool, a movie theater, and a helicopter landing pad

Paul Squire,Hannah Getahun

The crew of a Russian oligarch's $600 million superyacht was fired after sanctions meant wages couldn't be paid, reports say

Grace Dean

Who is Alisher Usmanov, the sanctioned Russian billionaire said to be one of Putin's 'favorite oligarchs'?

Grace Dean

Shipbuilders are receiving a rush of offers on superyachts under construction amid sanctions on Russian elites

Grace Dean

$420 million yacht owned by pro-Kremlin oligarch that comes with its own mini submarine is frozen in German port

Mia Jankowicz

Over $2 billion worth of yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been seized in Europe so far

Taiyler Simone Mitchell

Germany seized the world's largest mega-yacht. It's worth $600 million and belongs to Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a Forbes report says.

Taiyler Simone Mitchell

Map shows Russian oligarch yachts around the world as some flee to places they can't get seized

Shayanne Gal,Mia Jankowicz

Oligarchs don't just love their superyachts they also use them to cement their status among Russia's elite

Kate Duffy,Grace Dean,Gabrielle Bienasz

The 8 Most Expensive Yacht Purchases Of All Time

Madeline Stone