$75m superyacht linked to Russian steel billionaire auctioned off in Gibraltar
A $75m superyacht linked to a sanctioned Russian steel billionaire has been auctioned in Gibraltar, in what is understood to be the first sale of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
The 72.5-metre Axioma was seized in March under sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
The vessel was auctioned by the Gibraltar admiralty court through a system of closed bids to be sent electronically by midday on Tuesday. In all, 63 bids were received, the court said.
There was an “unexpected late surge by prospective buyers” around the world for the vessel, Nigel Hollyer, broker to the admiralty marshal of the supreme court of Gibraltar who led the auction, told the Guardian last week.
The boat sleeps 12 people in six cabins and boasts a swimming pool, a spa, 3D cinema and water sport equipment.
Authorities in the tiny British enclave on the southern tip of Spain impounded the 72-metre (236-foot) vessel after a complaint filed by US bank JP Morgan.
In December 2021, the lender granted a loan of €20.5m ($21.7m) to a company registered in the British Virgin Islands whose shareholders included a Cypriot firm owned by Dmitry Pumpyansky.
JP Morgan considered the inclusion of Pumpyansky on Britain’s sanctions list a breach of the loan contract since it led to the freezing of his assets.
As a result, the bank asked authorities to seize the Malta-flagged yacht, which was listed as one of the loan guarantees, and requested that it be sold to repay the loan.
Sources close to the process told Reuters that JP Morgan would only claim the €20.5m owed and that any further proceeds from the sale would be up to the court to disburse.
A Gibraltar government source said the money would probably be frozen rather than handed to anyone other
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