Title: US Government Spends Nearly $1 Million Monthly to Maintain Seized Luxury Superyacht

In a bid to exert pressure on the Kremlin, the US government is reportedly spending close to $1 million every month to maintain a luxury superyacht that was seized from a sanctioned Russian oligarch. The 348-foot Amadea, owned by Suleiman Kerimov, was one of the initial triumphs of the Justice Department's task force aimed at holding Russians friendly to the Kremlin accountable.

The superyacht was confiscated by local law enforcement officials and the FBI while it was docked in a port in Fiji in 2022. US prosecutors allege that Kerimov, known for his fortune in the gold trade, violated US sanctions by utilizing the US banking system to cover expenses related to the vessel. Currently, the superyacht is docked in San Diego.

Recent court filings reveal that federal prosecutors have sought permission from a judge to sell the luxurious vessel, citing the exorbitant costs incurred by the government. According to the court documents, the maintenance of the Amadea has cost the government approximately $20 million, with a monthly expense of around $600,000. This figure includes an additional $144,000 for insurance and $178,000 for occasional one-off fees, such as dry docking expenses, resulting in a total monthly bill of $922,000.

In a filing earlier this month, prosecutors argued that it is "excessive" for taxpayers to bear the burden of maintaining the Amadea, proposing that these expenses could be reduced to zero through an interlocutory sale. The US Marshals Service has valued the superyacht at $230 million in a recent appraisal.

However, Eduard Khudainatov and Millemarin Investments, who have come forward to claim ownership of the superyacht, are opposing the sale. They argue that the judge should not allow the sale until their motion to dismiss the civil forfeiture complaint is decided. They have offered to reimburse the government for the maintenance costs incurred thus far in exchange for the return of the Amadea. Khudainatov and Millemarin Investments maintain that they never intended for US taxpayers to shoulder the financial burden, asserting that the government's decision to seize the superyacht was wrongful.

Prosecutors have expressed concern about the prolonged timeline for a decision on Khudainatov and Millemarin Investments' motion, citing the potential for even more expensive maintenance bills for the vessel. As the legal battle over the ownership of the Amadea continues, taxpayers are left to foot the hefty bill month after month.

The fate of the luxury superyacht remains undecided, but the escalating costs of its maintenance continue to draw attention to the US government's efforts to hold influential Russian figures accountable for actions deemed in violation of sanctions.