1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: From Bloomberg News and I heard radio it's the big take. 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: I'm West Kosova today. Why are the US and its 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: western allies seizing the super yachts of Russian billionaires? Tonight? 4 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: The UK seizing a nearly fifty million dollars super yacht 5 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: owned by a Russian businessman tied to Putin. Authorities in 6 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: Fiji seized a three hundred million dollar yacht owned by 7 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: Russian oligarch Suliman Caramel. Italian authorities seized five hundred and 8 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: seventy eight million dollar mega yacht. It's the size of 9 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: two football fields and the word's largest super yot has 10 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: been stopped from sailing after Germany officially confiscated the asset 11 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: of Russian oligarch Alassmanov. The super yot was seized as 12 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: part of the trenches off sanctions against Russia by the West. 13 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: The one along has an estimated value of nearly six 14 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: hundred million US dollars. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, 15 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: the US and dozens of other Western governments have imposed 16 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: sanctions on Russians who they accused of supporting Russian President 17 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: Vladimir Putin or benefiting from ties to the Kremlin. They've 18 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: frozen their bank accounts, they have gone after their homes 19 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: and private jets, and most dramatically, they've seized the opulent 20 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: prize supriots of these billionaires. We have held the ship, 21 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: which we now know belongs to Russian oligogue because we're 22 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: very clear we cannot have any benefits of these oligogus 23 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: with close connections to put In whilst that terrible war 24 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: is going on in Ukraine and so many people will suffering. 25 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: More than fifteen Russian linked yachts have been impounded because 26 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: of sanctions, and most remain in legal purgatory. But now 27 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: comes to the question what do you do with a 28 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: confiscated yacht that's the size of a small cruise ship. 29 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: To answer that question, Stephanie Baker joins me from London. 30 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 1: She's a senior investigative reporter for Bloomberg. Stephanie, let me 31 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 1: start by asking you the US and other Western governments 32 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: are seizing these huge yachts that are allegedly owned by 33 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: Russian oligarchs who are under economic sanctions. So can you 34 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: tell us what exactly is a Russian oligarch and why 35 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: are they being sanctioned? Okay, well, the term Russian oligarch 36 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: originated actually in the nineteen nineties during the era of 37 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: President Boris Yeltsen, when a group of Russian tycoons backed 38 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: his bid for re election, financing his campaign. Now they 39 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: got stakes and state owned companies in exchange for loans 40 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: to the government which were never repaid, and they became 41 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: some of the richest men in Russia. And the term 42 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: grew from that that they had this undue influence over 43 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: the government as a result of this political backing of 44 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: the president. Now that is of course changed over the years. 45 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: When President Vladimir Putin came into power, he told the 46 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: oligarchs politics is over. I won't go after your businesses 47 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: if you stay out of politics. So the term is 48 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: somewhat troubled. I try to avoid it because it really, 49 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: you know, implies that these individuals have sway over the 50 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: Russian government. And now there are some that certainly do 51 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: um because they run state owned enterprises. There are other 52 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: very wealthy Russian businessmen who have been sanctioned who don't 53 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: have that kind of relationship with the government and don't 54 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: really have that kind of sway over Putin. I mean, 55 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: it's arguable if any of these individuals have any sway 56 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: over Putin, then why are they being sanctioned in exactly 57 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: what is a sanction? When the U S sanctions a 58 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: Russian businessmen, we hear about this all the time these days. 59 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: What exactly is that, Well, when they're sanctioned, it usually 60 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: involves asset freezes, travel bands and barring them and their 61 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: companies from doing business in Western markets, so essentially makes 62 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: them financial pariots. Exactly. Now, the reason behind sanctioning them, 63 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: you know, President Biden said, we're going for your ill 64 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: gotten gains, and the moves by Western governments are designed 65 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: a as a signaling tool, a form of punishment in 66 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But in many of 67 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 1: the designations by Western governments, they have pointed to the 68 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: fact that many of these individuals have benefited from their 69 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 1: relationship with the Russian state and that can take many forms. 70 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: That can be the way they made their money in 71 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: the early days to continuing relationships now. And the fact 72 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 1: of the ma matter is, if you're a Russian businessman today, 73 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 1: you are operating at the behest of Vladimir Putin. He 74 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: can take away your business. You have to stay on 75 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: the right side of the government or else, and that 76 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: is taken as an implicit form of support from the government. 77 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: So even if these executives don't have sway over Putin, 78 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: they certainly have to be in line with Putin, and 79 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 1: he has sway over them. The only way you can 80 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: rise to those heights is if you don't run a 81 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: file of Vladimir Putin and his plans exactly. And that's 82 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: why you've seen many of these Russian billionaires who I 83 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: think almost all of them are against the war, but 84 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: have not come out and said specifically that they are 85 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: critical of Putin's decision to invade because they know that 86 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: that could threaten their empires. Does many of express criticism 87 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: of the war, calling for peace and very general terms, 88 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: but if stopped short of directly criticizing Putin. Now you 89 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: mentioned these alleged ill gotten gains that the US and 90 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 1: other Western countries have gone after with sanctions, and among 91 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: them are these enormous yachts that many of these Russian 92 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: executives own. What is it about buying giant boats that 93 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: appeals to them. It's a really great question. I mean, 94 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: many people ask, why do you need a super yacht? 95 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 1: No one needs a super yacht, you might need a house, 96 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: and you could have a grand house. But I think 97 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: it became a status symbol, and it became another venue 98 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: for wealthy Russians to park their wealth in a zone 99 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: that is outside the reach of Putin, who was viewed 100 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: as potentially a threat to their assets if they fell 101 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: follow of the government, so they could go after their accounts. 102 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: About a physical thing like a yacht, it could be, 103 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: you know, at the ends of the earth and harder 104 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: to track down and take away exactly. And it's the 105 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: ultimate mobile asset, right And we've seen that since the 106 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: war started. Right after the invasion began, many Russian owned 107 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: super yachts began racing across the ocean in search of 108 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: safe waters in jurisdictions that were not enforcing sanctions. And 109 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: many of them got away, but some of them did not, 110 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: and some of them were seized. As long as we're 111 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: defining our terms here, what exactly is a super yacht? 112 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: How is it different from a yacht or a really 113 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: really big yacht? Right, So this is a really interesting 114 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,119 Speaker 1: conversation I had with many in the industry. Some people 115 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: define a super yacht as above forty meters. Others say 116 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: it's above eighty meters, that's a sort of mega yacht 117 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: or a giga yacht. A giga yacht, is that an 118 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: actual term. It's a term, and I asked a lot 119 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: of people, and most people said, there's no precise definition 120 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: for that, but I think many in the industry view 121 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: anything over eighty ms as well of another class. So 122 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: eighty ms, by the way, for those of us in 123 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: the US, that's two hundred sixty two feet, so we're 124 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: talking just absolutely enormous, enormous, enormous, And in that category 125 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: eighty and above. Russians are the biggest single owners. They 126 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: own about There are about a hundred and fifty three 127 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: super yachts in existence over eighty ms, and Russians own 128 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:37,680 Speaker 1: approximately thirty of them, according to the super Yacht Times. Stephanie, 129 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: if you could stay with me for just a little bit, 130 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: we will continue our conversation after the break. When Russia 131 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: in data Ukraine in February, there were quite a few 132 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: of these Russian executives, these billionaires who owned these yachts, 133 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: they were under sanctions, and those boats took to the 134 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: water and started going all over the place to avoid 135 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,199 Speaker 1: being seized. Some of them did some of them, and 136 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 1: many of them ended up, for instance, off the coast 137 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: of Turkey, which has not enforced sanctions, so that you 138 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: know there are on last account, maybe at least you 139 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: know half a dozen if not more, sanctioned Russian super 140 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: yachts in Turkey that are hold up. They're safe, not 141 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: frozen by Western governments. Others attempted to leave ports in 142 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: Europe and were stopped because Western governments believed they were 143 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: owned by sanctioned Russians. Some wan. You have this very 144 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: dramatic moment in your story which shows the lengths to 145 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: which the US is going to try to track down 146 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: these ships and determine who owns them. That's right. In 147 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 1: the case of this one super yacht, Medeia, the US 148 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: stopped several crew members flying through l A airport, grilled 149 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: them for several hours, revoked their visa, cloned their cell 150 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: phone data for evidence, and sent them packing. And what 151 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: were they asking them? What did they want to know 152 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,719 Speaker 1: from these pilots. They were asking them about who was 153 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: using the super yacht, about Suleiman Karimov, the man they 154 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 1: believe is the real owner of Medea. They were asking 155 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: them why they were using code names for passengers on 156 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: the super yacht. The code names were G one, G two, 157 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: G three for different passengers. According to my reporting, the 158 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: crew members responded that was fairly standard procedure on these 159 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: super yachts, that you wouldn't identify them by name. I mean, 160 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: I guess the standard procedure for super yochts. But you know, 161 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: for those of us who live in the super yacht world, 162 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 1: sounds kind of like you're trying and hide the identities 163 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: of people being on your boat. Absolutely, but it reflects 164 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: what a different world the super yacht industry is, and 165 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: you know how they operate. So the FBI went to 166 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: great lengths to try to track down evidence proving their 167 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: case that this was indeed owned by a sanction Russian 168 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: super yacht. So in your story you write that Western governments, 169 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: including the US, started going after these yachts to seize 170 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 1: them and take them away from these Russian billionaires. That's right. 171 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: So the US has been very aggressive. They have sent 172 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: FBI agents all around the world chasing down super yachts 173 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: they believed to be owned by sanctioned Russians. And the 174 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: most notable case is the super yacht called Amadeia, which 175 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: was frozen in Fiji when it landed there in April, 176 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: and the US sought to seize it and engaged in 177 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: a several weeks of legal wrangling in courts in Fiji 178 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 1: in order to get permission to actually seize it and 179 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 1: sail it to US waters. A Russian owned super yacht 180 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: has set sail from Fiji. Its departure from the country 181 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: marks the end of weeks of ongoing U s efforts 182 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: to seize the three hundred million dollar vessel. Fiji Supreme 183 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: Court cleared the US to take the Amadia, a nearly 184 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: three hundred fifty foot luxury ship, earlier today tell us 185 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,439 Speaker 1: the story of this yacht. Who owns it well? The 186 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: US believes that the real owner is a sanctioned Russian 187 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: oligarch named Suleiman Karimov, who was actually sanctioned in eighteen 188 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: under the Trump administration when he sanctioned half a dozen 189 00:12:52,760 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 1: Russian billionaires for being behind Russia's malign influence operations in 190 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: the aftermath of Russia's meddling in the election, and they 191 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: pointed to evidence that he had installed a new spa bed, 192 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: a pizza oven, super fast jet skis that he had bought. 193 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: Now the owner has come forth as a very little 194 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 1: known oligarch named Edwardov, who on paper at least is 195 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: the beneficial owner of a nest of shell companies that 196 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: technically owns the super yacht. So this takes us back 197 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: to a really important thing in your story, which is 198 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 1: it's really really difficult to figure out who owns these things, um, 199 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 1: because I guess you just don't go to the super 200 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: yacht lot and pick out one and take it home. 201 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: Today is a really complicated thing to get your hands 202 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 1: on one of these things. Can you just talk a 203 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: little bit about, like how do you go get a 204 00:13:56,080 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: super yacht? Well, generally speak king these yachts tend to 205 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 1: be owned by companies rather than individuals as a way 206 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: of limiting liability in the case of accidents. And that's 207 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 1: the case with not just Russians, but many other nationalities 208 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: who own these super yachts. But in the case of Russians, 209 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 1: they are owned by layers of shell companies that it's 210 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: often difficult to determine who the beneficial owner is. And 211 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: that's by design, by design, but you know, there is 212 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: a tendency, and I'm speaking generally here of Russians to 213 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: have unofficial agreements about holding assets for others. Now it 214 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: would appear that after Mr Karimov was sanctioned in ten 215 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: it would be very difficult for him to buy and 216 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 1: operate and maintain a super yacht. Now, the US maintains 217 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: that the beneficial owner on paper of Ahmadea is this 218 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: man Edward who Donatov, who at the time was not 219 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: sanctioned and therefore was a safer straw owner of that vessel, 220 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: holding it on behalf of Mr Karimov. And what does 221 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: Mr Karimov say about this? Mr Karimov does not respond 222 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: to questions, and he has remained remarkably silent on this matter. 223 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: So he hasn't disputed probably that he owns or doesn't 224 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: own this yet he has not disputed the management company 225 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: that had managed it disputes that he owned it and 226 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: says actually the real owner is Mr Kutuonatov. And just 227 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: because Mr Karimov used the yacht is should not be 228 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: used as evidence that he actually owns it. Now, I 229 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: spoke to some forfeiture experts who you know compared the 230 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: process of establishing ownership of sanctioned Russian assets to that 231 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: of assets of drug lords that you know, jugglers don't 232 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: always hold assets in their name. They often hold their 233 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: house and their girlfriend's name, and that it's a similar 234 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: situation here that often assets are held in the names 235 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: of other individuals in order to protect a sanctioned individual from, 236 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: you know, having his assets freezed. So when the US 237 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: is going after these super yachts like this one, which 238 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: they found all the way in Fiji, do they have 239 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: a really difficult time figuring out who owns them in 240 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: each case? Well, they have done an exhaustive investigation and 241 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: they are still investigating to be able to prove to 242 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: a court that indeed the owner is sule Man Karimov, 243 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: a sanctioned Russian oligarch, and not this other individual, Edward 244 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: Kuda Natov, who is not sanctioned by the US. They 245 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: need to be able to prove that in a court 246 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: of law, and they need to be able to produce 247 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: sufficient evidence to convince a judge that their case is sound. 248 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: Now they haven't proceeded yet with civil forfeiture complaint, so 249 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: this process is likely to take years to litigate because 250 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: the amount of evidence they need to compile and the 251 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: process of forfeiture can take so many years. And how 252 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: many other yachts has the US gone after they have 253 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: issued a seizure warrant for another super yacht in Spain 254 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: called Tango, owned by a Russian billionaire named Victor of Exelberg, 255 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: who was also sanctioned in and they have boarded but 256 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 1: not issued to seizure. Weren't yet another vessel in Antigua 257 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: owned Bias sanctioned we believe Russian. Now the issue here 258 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: is that they do need to be able to prove 259 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: who the actual beneficial owner is and that means they're 260 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: going to be interviewing and they have interviewed crew members, 261 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: the captains aboard these vessels to determine who is actually 262 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: using the asset, and they've already sent out subpoenas to 263 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,880 Speaker 1: several crew members. And what are the countries are going 264 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: after these yachts? Europe has many of these super yachts, 265 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: and Italy has frozen for mega yachts, probably more than 266 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: any other European country, including one super yacht that has 267 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: been linked to Vladimir Putin, jailed. Russian opposition leader Alexei 268 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: Navalny's Anti corruption foundation has published a video. Now, according 269 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: to the video, Vladimir Putting owns one of the world's 270 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:41,199 Speaker 1: largest yachts. Now this, yeah, because it comes up in 271 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:46,439 Speaker 1: stories quite a bit saying it's Putin's yacht. He disputes it. 272 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: There have been all kinds of investigations trying to figure 273 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: out does he own it or not? When you say 274 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: it's linked to Vladimir Putin, what does that actually need? Well, 275 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: I think in a lot of these cases there is 276 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: evidence that he used it. So the Russian opposition leader 277 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: Alexey Navalny his team did an investigation which found evidence 278 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: that many of the crew members of the super yacht 279 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: called Scheherazade actually worked for the same agency that is 280 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: responsible for Putin's personal security, and Navalny, of course was 281 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: the leader who was poisoned and then imprisoned. That's right, 282 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: But according to US affidavits, the us IS also believes 283 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 1: that those yachts are linked to Putin, and I think 284 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: it raises the broader issue of you have super yachts 285 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: and their ownership structures, which is owned by offshore companies 286 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:45,680 Speaker 1: with which in turn have their beneficial owners, but then 287 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: there's who actually uses them. So I think in many cases, 288 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,880 Speaker 1: establishing ownership is really all about figuring out, well, there 289 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: may be an owner on paper, but who is really 290 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: actually using it and controlling it and making decisions about 291 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: the vessel and its maintenance, and you know it's redesigned. 292 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 1: Seventy of these super yachts aren't just big, they're unbelievably expensive. 293 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: That's right. I mean many are incredibly expensive. There is 294 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: one super yacht called Crescent, which is estimated to be 295 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: worth million. There's another culture Harrizade, the one that is 296 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: linked to Putent, that is worth at least six d 297 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 1: and fifty million, if not more. These things are incredibly 298 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: expensive to build. It takes at minimum four years before 299 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,919 Speaker 1: you put in a design plan, you hire an architect. 300 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: They are unbelievably expensive to build and maintain, and just 301 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: give an idea. You mentioned this one yacht came in 302 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: at six hundred million dollars, just to give you a 303 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: little basis of comparison for any of our listeners who 304 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: are thinking about maybe buying a super yet the medium 305 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: us in come right now. It's about dollars, which means 306 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: that if you're making that much money a year, and 307 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: you you know, maybe bring your lunch to work instead 308 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: of going out and don't stop by the cafe, would 309 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: bring coffee from home, and you save your pennies. It 310 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 1: would take about thirteen thousand, six hundred thirty six years 311 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 1: to earn enough to buy a super yacht worth six 312 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: million dollars. It's just an incredible amount of money. And 313 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: they kept getting bigger and bigger and more expensive as 314 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: the years went on, particularly during the tens. When we 315 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: come back from the break, continue my conversation with Stephanie Baker, 316 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: and Stephanie, I'm gonna ask you where are all these 317 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: confiscated yachts and who is paying to keep them afloat? 318 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: You had written that it takes an enormous amount of 319 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 1: just to keep these things running every year, right under 320 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 1: normal conditions, The industry shorthand is that it will cost 321 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: between ten and of a yacht's value to maintain it 322 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: every year. Now, some people think that's an exaggeration. You know, 323 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:19,360 Speaker 1: certainly when they're in stuck in a port like they 324 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 1: are when they're frozen, it's going to cost less. So 325 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 1: I did quite a bit of reporting to talk to 326 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: people in a position to know about how much it 327 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: really costs to keep these things in port, frozen and 328 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 1: immobilized imports. I calculated on an uber conservative estimate of 329 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: three of the yachts value. That includes you know, a 330 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: skeletal crew to maintain it, management companies to oversee the 331 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,239 Speaker 1: running of it, and then you know, as time goes on, 332 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: there's going to be bigger expenses that come up. So 333 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 1: we're talking about millions of dollars a year to maintain 334 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: these ships while they're just sitting in port under you 335 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: know exactly, And who actually is footing in the bill 336 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: for that. Well, in the case of the US and Italy, 337 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,399 Speaker 1: it is the taxpayer. So do you have an estimate 338 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:11,439 Speaker 1: of how much you say, US taxpayers are on the 339 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: hook for maintaining that's while they're sitting in port. Well, 340 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: according to my reporting, Amadeia costs about ten million a 341 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 1: year to maintain. And that's just one ten million dollars 342 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 1: to sit in port. Yeah, that does not include any 343 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: sort of unusual expenses that might crop up. So we're 344 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: you know, we're talking unless this gets resolved fairly quickly, 345 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,239 Speaker 1: you know, tens of millions of dollars every year. So 346 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: the question, I guess, is is it worth it? Um? 347 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:47,199 Speaker 1: What is the benefit other than taking punitive measures against 348 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: people who the US believes active illegally or as you 349 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: put it, you know their their their wealth is from 350 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: ill gotten gains. What is the benefit of seizing beyond 351 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: that kind of satisfaction taking a big boat away from 352 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: a rich gap. Well. I spoke to a former Biden 353 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: official who was running a big part of the U 354 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 1: S sanctions campaign, and he said it was really about 355 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 1: showing to the Russian people that they have been ripped 356 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 1: off for years and disrupting the Russian elite. And I 357 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 1: think it's fair to say that taking away these super 358 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: yachts that they have spent so much money and so 359 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: much time designing and building does hit a sore spot 360 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: with many of these billionaires. So it's sending a message 361 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 1: and a signaling mechanism that there will be consequences for 362 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:47,440 Speaker 1: Russia's war in Ukraine. Uh, Stephen, you even talked about 363 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: how these governments have either detained or seized these big yachts, 364 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: and you said that the US's intention is to sell 365 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: them eventually to recoup all of these costs, once they're 366 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: able to prove the actual ownership of these vessels. But 367 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: were they going to sell them to? Who would buy 368 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: Russian oligarchs yet? Is there a market for that? It's 369 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: a really good question. I asked a lot of people 370 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 1: that who said, well, I certainly wouldn't want to buy 371 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: uh sanctioned Russian super yacht. Um, you know what would 372 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: happen if I happened to sail into Asian waters and 373 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: the Russian billionaire came up saying he wanted his yacht back. 374 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be able to sleep. Now, having said that, 375 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: there is precedent for this. It's not like a super 376 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: yacht has never been seized or stolen before. If you 377 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: remember a few years ago, there was a super yacht 378 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:46,240 Speaker 1: allegedly bought with stolen money from Malaysia's state Investment fund 379 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 1: one m dB that was seized on the orders of 380 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: the U S which was conducting an investigation, and it 381 00:25:54,320 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: was sold several months later as the proceeds of crime. Now, 382 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: in that case, it's sold for about half of what 383 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: it was thought to be worth. So that gives you 384 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:10,199 Speaker 1: some indication of perhaps a discount that might be in 385 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 1: play if any of these seized Russian super yachts do 386 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: come up for sale. What do you think the future 387 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: of all this is? Where is this heading? When it 388 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 1: comes to these SATs that have been sees do you 389 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: think that they will identify the owners that they will 390 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: auction them off or is there some other end to 391 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: this story. I think in the case of the US, 392 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: they will probably be able to establish ownership and proceed 393 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: through forfeiture, but it could take years to complete. I 394 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: think in the case of the European countries that have 395 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: frozen these yachts, I don't think they have the legal 396 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: basis to go ahead with actually seizing and selling them. 397 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 1: So I think they're going to be kept in these ports, 398 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: and in some cases, like in Italy, taxpayers will be 399 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: on the hook for paying for the maintenance, and other 400 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 1: countries like Europe and France, port officials say the owners 401 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 1: are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep, but it's all 402 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 1: pretty murky ast who exactly is paying. I think it 403 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 1: will be very difficult in legal cases to prove that 404 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: they are owned by sanctioned Russian olive arcs. Stephanie Baker, 405 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: thanks so much for coming on the show. Thanks for 406 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:31,120 Speaker 1: having me. You can find Stephanie's story on Russian super 407 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: yots at Bloomberg dot com. Thanks for listening to us 408 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:39,680 Speaker 1: here at the Big Take, the Daily podcast from Bloomberg 409 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,439 Speaker 1: and I Heart Radio for more shows from my Heart Radio, 410 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, couple podcasts, or wherever 411 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: you listen. Read Today's story and subscribe to our daily 412 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 1: newsletter at Bloomberg dot com. Slash Big Take, and we'd 413 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. Email us with questions or 414 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: comments to Big Take at Bloomberg dot net. The supervising 415 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: producer of The Big Take is Vicky Burgalina. Our senior 416 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 1: producer is Katherine Fink. Our producers are Moe Barrow and 417 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:16,119 Speaker 1: Michael Falerro, with additional production support from Federico Roman Yellow 418 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:21,679 Speaker 1: and zenib Siddiki Hilda Garcia is our engineer. Original music 419 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: by Leo Sidrin. I'm west Kasova. We'll be back tomorrow 420 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: with another Big Take