Seized Russian Superyacht 'Amadea' Going to Auction After Three Years in U.S. Custody

Scott Way
Aug 15
3 min read

Updated: Aug 20

The superyacht Amadea, believed to be owned by Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, is headed to auction after three years of U.S. legal battles.

If Amadea sells on September 10th, it will be the U.S.’s first auction of a seized Russian luxury vessel since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The vessel, valued at approximately $325 million USD, is a six-deck, 348-foot (106-meter) superyacht built by Lürssen in 2017 and only launched in 2021.

It was seized in May of 2022 in Fiji at the request of U.S. authorities. Upon its seizure, authorities discovered what was believed to be genuine Fabergé egg onboard, although it was later determined to be a fake. The yacht was then brought to San Diego, where it has taken a permanent residency at Pepper Park in National City, a southern suburb of San Diego, and has been the subject of steady headlines due to both its public presence and its legal limbo.

“...I warned that the department had its eyes on every yacht purchased with dirty money,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in a press release after the vessel's seizure in 2022.

“This yacht seizure should tell every corrupt Russian oligarch that they cannot hide – not even in the remotest part of the world. We will use every means of enforcing the sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine.”

By early 2024, federal prosecutors in Manhattan filed a statement asking a judge to allow an auction due to the vessel's exorbitant carrying costs -- estimated to be around $750,000 USD per month. The request was blocked by U.S. courts in July 2024. U.S. district judge Dale Ho of the Southern District of New York denied the motion, stating that despite the exorbitant carrying costs, it did not adequately justify sending the vessel to auction.

"The court is wary of relying solely on maintenance costs to justify sale, when those costs represent a small fraction of the value of the res and do not appear to be atypical for property of this type," said Ho.

Around the same time as the legal arguments regarding an auction, Eduard Khudainatov, former chairman and CEO of Rosneft, an unsanctioned Russian oil and gas company, claimed ownership of Amadea. According to Forbes, Khudainatov is a "straw owner" of several superyachts belonging to Vladimir Putin and at least two other Russian oligarchs. In that matter, a U.S. judge ruled in March 2025 that Khudainatov cannot claim ownership — although Khudainatov is appealing the decision. At last, a sealed-bid auction has now been approved for this month with a closing date of September 10th, 2025. Bidders must submit a $11.6 million USD deposit in order to qualify and must demonstrate a net worth of at least $500 million to participate.

According to the auction house, if multiple bids tie the highest bidders will be invited to resubmit within 24 hours. The winning bidder must then deposit an additional $10 million into escrow within 10 days and pay the remaining balance within 28 calendar days. However, even if a proper bid is received, Adam Ford, a lawyer for Khudainatov, says they will contest any sale of Amadea in U.S. courts.

“We doubt it will attract any rational buyer at fair market price, because ownership can, and will, be challenged in courts outside the United States, exposing purchasers to years of costly, uncertain litigation,” said Ford in a statement.

For those looking to explore Amadea or enter as a bidder, a website has been established strictly for the auction showcasing her many luxury features.

Despite spending three years docked in San Diego, Amadea is still one the most advanced superyachts on the water. She carries an LOA of 106 m (348') with an18.3 m (60') beam and a 4.1 m (13'5") draft. The yacht includes luxury features like a foredeck helipad, swimming pool, wine cellar and humidor, spa and sauna rooms, and a fire pit on the owner's deck. Her exterior was designed by renowned developer Espen Oeino and her interior was assembled by Zuretti Interior Design. She carries room for 16 guests across 8 ensuite staterooms, plus room for a crew of 36. The growing number of legal cases involving sanctioned Russian superyachts continues to attract public attention and draw speculation from legal experts. In early 2024, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg managed to purchase a $300 million superyacht from a sanctioned Russian buyer with the help of the Dutch government. Zuckerberg's acquisition allowed him to bypass the wait time for a new build, which is typically 3-5 years for most superyachts. In July 2024, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was caught up in a legal battle while trying to purchase the 267-foot Alfa Nero from Antiguan authorities after it was repo'd from Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev. #news