US law enforcement officials most likely found a precious Fabergé egg on a yacht belonging to a Russian oligarch seized in Fiji, US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said.
According to various media in the US, it is a $300 million yacht owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov. This ship, after a legal battle, was sailed from Fiji to San Diego Bay late last month by US law enforcement officers, where it is still detained.
“Let’s get to the juicy stuff: the yachts,” Monaco told a forum devoted to discussing the role of law enforcement officers in freezing and seizing Russian assets. “We found some really interesting things. We found a Fabergé – or alleged Fabergé egg – on one of these yachts, so it just gets more interesting.”
Each one unique
Fabergé eggs are originally imperial jewels in the form of Easter eggs, which Peter Carl Fabergé and his employees made between 1885 and 1917. 69 would have been created, of which 57 still exist. Characteristic of the Imperial eggs is that they are all unique and that they are made of precious materials such as gold, platinum and precious stones.
The most notable Fabergé egg auctioned in recent years was bought by a scrap dealer at a flea market somewhere in the Midwestern United States. The dealer spent about $13,000 on it and left it lying around the house for nearly a decade. It’s unclear how much this egg sold for at auction in 2014, but experts estimate its value at $33 million.
The deputy attorney general said the egg found on the yacht is currently being examined for authenticity. Monaco supports the idea of potentially channeling profits from seized pieces, such as this egg, to Ukraine.
Also read: Truffle pasta in Venice, luxury hotel in Croatia: Russian MP enjoys holiday in EU undisturbed despite entry ban
See also: Look inside the world’s largest yacht
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss out on any of the stars.