- A $300 million superyacht linked to Russian tycoon Suleiman Kerimov arrived in San Diego Monday.
- The Amadea had sailed from Fiji, which seized the yacht at the behest of the US.
- The DOJ said the yacht will remain in the custody of the US government pending forfeiture and sale.
A seized $300 million superyacht linked to a sanctioned Russian gold tycoon arrived in San Diego Bay on Monday flying the US flag.
The 348-foot Amadea, which the US says is owned by Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, had sailed from Honolulu, where it was moored after arriving from Fiji.
Fiji's top court earlier ruled the US could seize the yacht.
The US Department of Justice said in a tweet Monday that the Amadea will remain in the custody of the US government "pending its anticipated forfeiture and sale."
The seizure of the Amadea was coordinated through the DOJ's Task Force KleptoCapture, launched in March to enforce sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures designed to isolate Russia from global markets and disrupt its war in Ukraine.
The Amadea features a gym, beauty salon, bar, glass elevator, infinity pool, and helipad. Its annual running costs are in the $25 million to $30 million range, the DOJ has estimated.
Kerimov has been sanctioned by the US, the European Union, and the UK. The EU said in March that Kerimov is "a member of the inner circle of oligarchs" close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kerimov has a net worth of $13.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.