A superyacht owned by Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Kremlin oligarch and friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is being sold at auction following a seizure in Croatia earlier this year. The luxurious ship has a value of no less than 200 million dollars (converted approximately 191.3 million euros).
The Ukrainian government reports that the 92.5-meter Royal Romance yacht is being sold by court order. The ship will be owned by the Ukrainian organization Asset Recovery and Management Agency (Arma). The Arma is a special branch of the Ukrainian government tasked with “finding, tracing and managing assets arising from corruption”. The ship, valued at approximately EUR 191.3 million, will be sold at a public auction for the benefit of Ukraine.
The ship belonged to 68-year-old Medvedchuk, a pro-Kremlin politician who was arrested in Ukraine in April. He was handed over to Russia in a prisoner exchange in September. He is often referred to as the “dark prince” of Ukrainian politics. In addition, he is good friends with Putin, who is the godfather of his daughter Daria.
Fraud
Croatian police raided Medvedchuk’s ship last month on behalf of the FBI, the Croatian newspaper ‘Jutarnji List’ reported. The search took place on November 19. A Croatian investigator is said to have told the newspaper that Medvedchuk and his wife Oksana Marchenko are involved in money laundering.
The Royal Romance was built in 2005 by Dutch superyacht contractor Feadship. The ship has cabins for 14 guests and has room for 21 crew members. Medvedchuk’s ship is not the first yacht to be sold at auction.
Earlier, the superyacht of the Russian oligarch Dmitri Pumpianski was also sold to an anonymous buyer for 37.5 million dollars (35.9 million euros). It was the first sale of such a yacht since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Dozens of yachts belonging to oligarchs around the world have already been seized.
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