Courtroom in Fiji approves U.S. warrant to grab Russian-owned mega-yacht

Fiji's Excessive Court docket on Tuesday ruled that a massive Russian-owned yacht can be seized by U.S. authorities.

American and Fijian officials declare the Cayman Islands-flagged Amadea is the property of Suleiman Kerimov, an oligarch who built his fortune on gold mining. Kerimov was sanctioned in March by america, United Kingdom and European Union in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

But an lawyer who represents Millemarin Investments, the company the $325 million ship is registered to, mentioned it isn't owned by Kerimov. Instead, he argued in courtroom that company paperwork traces the ship's possession to Eduard Khudainatov, a former executive at Russia's state-owned Rosneft oil firm who has not been sanctioned. 

Kerimov and Khudainatov couldn't be reached for comment. The company intends to appeal Tuesday's determination.

The Amadea berthed in Fiji on April 13, in response to local stories and the maritime analytics web site Marine Traffic. Soon after, a federal choose permitted a warrant for the ship to be seized and on April 19, Fiji's high prosecutor moved to stop the ship from leaving.

The Division of Justice couldn't immediately be reached for comment. 

On April 4, the company introduced that Spanish authorities had assisted it in seizing one other Russian yacht, the $90 million Tango, which was owned by Viktor Vekselberg, the owner of the Russian conglomerate Renova Group.

Legislation handed by the Home of Representatives on April 27 would permit the U.S. to sell the yacht and other properties worth more than $2 million seized from Russian oligarchs with a purpose to fund the Ukrainian battle effort. President Joe Biden helps the bill, which has yet to go the Senate.

"We will seize their yachts, their luxurious homes and other ill-begotten gains," Biden stated on April 28 at the White House.

Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering prison justice, privacy points and information safety for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at KatesG@cbsnews.com or grahamkates@protonmail.com