Germany Seizes $600M Superyacht From Russian Oligarch Usmanov, Forbes Says

German authorities seized the superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a vessel valued at nearly $600 million, after the billionaire was sanctioned by the European Union (EU), Forbes reported.

Usmanov is one of the Russian businessmen punished this week by the EU in response to the invasion of Ukraine, and Brussels justified its decision by considering that it is “one of the favorite oligarchs” and course “figurehead” of the president, Vladimir Putin.

According to Forbes, which specializes in tracking the world’s great fortunes and cites three anonymous sources, the yacht had been in the shipyards of the German company Blohm+Voss in the city of Hamburg since October.

Usmanov allegedly paid $600 million for the ship in 2016 to a German company that custom-built it over a 52-month period.

With a length of 156 meters and a weight of almost 16,000 tons, according to specialized media it is the largest yacht in the world by gross weight and usually has a crew of 96 people.

According to these media, the “Dilbar” has the largest swimming pool that has been installed on a yacht, heliports, sauna and gym and can accommodate twenty-four people in twelve suites.

Usmanov, a businessman in the metal sector who has significant investments in companies from different fields, has a fortune that Forbes currently estimates at more than US$14 billion and that places him in 99th place on the list of great millionaires prepared by the magazine.

This week, Usmanov stepped down as president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) after being sanctioned by the EU.

The oligarch issued a statement, published on the FIE page, in which he assures that the EU’s decision “it is unfair” and which is based on “a set of false and defamatory allegations” that harm your “honor, dignity and business reputation”.

This Wednesday, the English soccer team Everton announced the cancellation of its commercial agreements with several Russian companies in which Usmanov, who had very close ties with the club, participates.