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Jeff Bezos’ $500M yacht has a 246-foot support ship, Lauren Sanchez figurehead

Much like Amazon, Jeff Bezos’ $500 million superyacht offers every bell and whistle imaginable, from A to Z.

The colossal, triple-masted Koru began its career serving the world’s third richest man this week, cruising the Mediterranean around Mallorca.

The 417-foot schooner first left Rotterdam in the Netherlands for sea trials in February. Dropping anchor in Mallorca put its jaw-dropping size on full display.

It also showed the extent of Bezos’ fleet: Not only did the Koru sail into harbor, so did its support vessel, Abeona, a mega-boat in its own right, the luxurious fast-launches used to move between the two — and aerial support in the form of his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez’s personal helicopter.

Sanchez also seemingly serves the fleet’s mascot, with the Koru’s figurehead, a part of traditional large sailing ships, modeled after her.

The Koru is the world’s tallest sailing yacht. Its three huge 229-foot masts power it to 20 knots. It’s also the biggest billionaire’s yacht which can move under sail-power alone.

The masts are so tall that Dutch officials considered dismantling the 95-year-old Koningshaven Bridge to allow the vessel past the 131-foot span on its journey from the Oceanco shipyard in Alblasserdam through Rotterdam to the North Sea.

That controversial plan was scrapped after local backlash, including residents being urged to toss eggs at Bezos’ “latest toy,”  the New York Times reported . The superyacht, previously known as Y721, was instead towed to a shipyard in Rotterdam, downstream of the bridge, without its masts.

Bezos, 59, and the bikini-clad Sanchez, 53, appeared ready for the summer as the pair soaked up the sun aboard Koru, a Māori word for loop or coil that symbolizes new beginnings — possibly a coy reference to their relationship.

Sanchez started secretly dating the Blue Origin founder in the summer of 2018. Bezos then announced in January 2019 he and his wife Mackenzie were divorcing after 25 years , while Sanchez finalized her split from husband Patrick Whitesell later that year.

Sanchez plays a critical role in the Bezos fleet: As a helicopter pilot, she was seen landing on the Abeona. She was also at Bezos’ side when he took the wheel of the Koru.

Koru was first seen under construction in 2021 at Oceano’s yard. The company is owned by a fellow billionaire, Oman’s Mohammed Al Barwani.

As many as 18 guests can enjoy the yacht’s three outdoor decks, including one with two pools. The vessel, which has a crew of up to 36, also boasts a cinema, meeting spaces and lounges,  Luxuo reported .

Every detail is designed for luxury, even down to the masts’ technology.

Bezos opted for high-tech “in-boom furlers,” which store the vast canvases at the bottom of the mast, above the deck. Each weighs nearly 2,000 pounds, but they allow his deck to be kept clear of ropes.

Clearing ropes out of the way maximizes entertaining space, and allows for a hot tub forward of the mainmast.

The yacht is also built for speed. Its three masts provide “one of the largest sail areas ever seen in yachting,”  according to SuperYacht Times .

The Koru’s original designer, and the identity of its captain, remain secret. Boat International noted : “With the elegant curve of the bow and a bowsprit, the lines are certainly classic, but we still have no idea which designer drew them.”

The Cayman Islands-flagged vessel also has engine power like most sailing yachts.

And while other billionaires measure yachts by size, Bezos’ is only the 24th largest.

However, since Koru’s masts rule out a helicopter deck, the billionaire commissioned a support vessel, Abeona, named for the Roman goddess of outward journeys.

In addition to a helipad, the 246-foot Abeona features an extra two staterooms for four guests and as many as 45 crew and support staff.

It’s the largest custom-built support vessel ever manufactured by Damen Yachting. On board in Mallorca were at least four jetskis, two fast launches, and an additional dinghy. Its heavy winch is capable of lifting a small submarine, although Bezos is not believed to have one thus far.

The “classic exterior lines” of Koru, are reminiscent of another billionaire’s boat: Eos, a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller, 81, who may have inspired Bezos after hosting him on the vessel.

Favored by megastars like Katy Perry and Bradley Cooper — who were Diller’s guests during 2019’s Google Camp in Sicily — the German-built Eos can accommodate up to 16 guests and 21 crew.

It was the largest private sailing yacht in the world when it was completed in 2006. Diller, chairman of IAC and Expedia, who is worth $3.9 billion, bought it three years later. Intriguingly, its figurehead is modeled on Diller’s wife Diane von Fürstenberg, the fashion designer.

But the $200 million, 305-foot schooner is now dwarfed by Bezos’ boat.

As Koru sailed in the Balearic Sea this week off the coast of Spain, Bezos’ boat symbolically surges past several other tech billionaires’ vessels – including Google co-founder Sergey Brin’s $80 million, 240-foot Dragonfly, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison’s, $160 million, 288-foot Musashi.

It will cost Bezos, 59, an estimated $25 million per year to operate Koru, but the world’s third-richest man isn’t likely to need a loan with his $140.6 billion fortune,  according to Forbes .

Bezos’ use of sailpower sets him apart from most billionaires, but others are seeking a hi-tech zero-carbon power source: a Japanese billionaire has reportedly commissioned the world’s first hydrogen-powered superyacht.

Germany’s Lürssen Yachts announced in March that they had a hydrogen-powered superyacht in advanced construction.

It declined to identify the future owner of the unnamed superyacht, but specialist publication FuelCellsWorks reported Japanese billionaire tech Yusaku Maezawa, worth an estimated $1.7 billion, commissioned the innovative effort.

Dubbed Project Cosmos, the 374-foot superyacht is designed by Apple’s legendary Marc Newson and was first unveiled in early March at Lürssen’s facility in Rendsburg, Germany.

Once completed as soon as next year, the vessel is expected to utilize emission-free fuel cell technology to generate power lasting up to 15 days while anchored or to travel as far as 1,000 miles at slow speeds.

Three other major shipyards, including in Italy and the Netherlands, are likely to launch their own hydrogen started outfitting newly constructed vessels with hydrogen fuel cells as of March 2022, with the first models reportedly expected in 2024.

Other megayachts expected to soon join Bezos’ Koru in the water include two Lürssen models, the 475-foot Luminance and the 400-foot Jag, and Feadship 821, a 389-foot offering from the Netherlands manufacturer.

But even those won’t best the biggest megayacht in the world, the 593-foot Azzam, which launched in 2013 after being commissioned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates who died last year.

Azzam, which means determination in Arabic, reportedly cost more than $600 million and is nearly 60 feet longer than the world’s second-largest yacht, the 533-foot Eclipse, owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Those monster vessels are expected to be surpassed next year by REV, a 600-foot yacht under construction in Norway which will have space for 36 guests and 54 crewmembers, according to Boat International .

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Jeff Bezos’ New Yacht Is Finally Ready to Set Sail

Amazon’s founder has been spotted on Koru, a massive schooner with a design that evokes the golden age of sailing in the early 20th century.

By Kevin Koenig

Just in time for the high season of yachting in the Mediterranean, when multimillion-dollar megayachts descend on ports like Monte Carlo and St. Tropez, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has been photographed with his partner Lauren Sánchez on his new boat, Koru, off the coast of Spain.

Mr. Bezos’ vessel is a sailing yacht, a departure from the diesel-powered, floating palaces popular with other billionaires. But it is still massive. At 417 feet, Koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International , and it cost an estimated $500 million to build, Bloomberg reported . (Parsifal III, the boat featured on Bravo’s reality series “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” is 177 feet long — less than half the length of Koru — and cost $18 million , according to the website SuperYachtFan.)

A spokesperson for Mr. Bezos did not comment for this article; neither did Oceanco, Koru’s builder. Here is what to know about the boat.

For traditionalists, Koru is refreshing. At a time when yacht design skews outrageous — see the lizardlike, 262-foot Artefact or the otherworldly 463-foot Yas — Koru stands out as a schooner, a sailing vessel with two or more masts. Photos reveal a large sailboat with three masts, an on-deck pool and a voluptuous mermaid on the bow, that bears a resemblance to Ms. Sánchez. But otherwise, the sleek, classic lines suggest the patrician age of yachting in the early 20th century, said Robert B. MacKay, author of “The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars.”

“With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts,” Mr. MacKay said, referring to Koru’s concave, pointy forward section, “it reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV. It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building — those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”

Compared with the world’s very largest motor yachts — built for sheer size and the accompanying bragging rights — Koru could almost be considered quaint. Azzam, one of the world’s largest motor yachts, is nearly 200 feet longer.

The Experience

Koru will be propelled primarily by the wind. “Sailboats are usually greener than most powerboats,” said Don Anderson, a former captain of M5 , the world’s largest single-masted sailboat, at 256 feet. “I’d like to think that Koru will be one of the most ecological yachts out there, with its sails and also with the technology that will be aboard.”

“When you’re on a sailboat, you’re more in touch with the wind and the waves than on a powerboat,” he continued. “You’re more susceptible to the elements, too. But you can leave California, and once you get past the Catalinas you can basically surf downwind all the way to Hawaii. All you need to do is run with the waves.”

Mr. Bezos has been a guest on similar boats, according to Bloomberg: In 2019, he was spotted on Eos , a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.

Bill Tripp, a Connecticut-based naval architect, said the appeal of this type of boat is clear: “When you are on a powerboat, you ask, ‘Are we there yet?’ and on a sailboat, you’re enjoying the ride and the ocean so much that you don’t ask that question.”

Koru will be trailed by Abeona, a 246-foot support vessel. Superyachts often have support vessels following along behind them. These “shadows,” as they are colloquially known, are for the “toys” — the ATVs, supercars, seaplanes, motorcycles, smaller boats, scuba gear, personal submarines and even helicopters that pleasure boaters might bring on a trip. According to its builder, this model of boat can carry these gadgets along with dozens of crew members. (Ms. Sanchez flies helicopters, and the couple was recently photographed taking a helicopter to board Abeona and then Koru.)

Abeona, a motor yacht, will have enough range to follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean — a common course for yachts — on a single tank of gas.

The Kerfuffle

Koru set off a controversy last year — before it was even completed — in a face-off with the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The boat was built at Oceanco’s facility in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands, and needed to pass the historic Koningshaven Bridge, known as “De Hef,” in Rotterdam, to undergo testing in the North Sea.

When the city announced it would dismantle the bridge to allow the boat and its mainmast — an estimated 230 feet tall — to pass through unscathed, locals were angry. They planned a protest to throw eggs at the yacht as it cruised by. In the end, the bridge was not taken apart, and the yacht was towed to a different location to have its masts attached.

Koru is Maori for “coil” or “loop” and refers to the unfurling of a fern frond. The koru design is common in traditional Maori art, where it symbolizes new life, growth and peace. Mr. Bezos included a photo of a koru frond in an Instagram post on Jan. 1, 2022.

Brad Stone, who was the first to report on Koru, in his 2021 book “Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire,” said the name was “consistent with where we see him today.”

“He is no longer this single-minded tech guy,” Mr. Stone said. “He’s in media and Hollywood and has a new relationship.”

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Jeff Bezos: Amazon CEO buys $500m superyacht so big it comes with a ‘support yacht’

Experts say that yacht industry has seen a boom during the pandemic, article bookmarked.

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Jeff Bezos , Amazon founder and the world’s richest man, will reportedly soon be the owner of a mega-yacht he bought for $500 million, almost double the price he paid to buy the Washington Post newspaper in 2013.

While the details of the vessel have largely been kept under wrap, the 417-foot superyacht is so massive that it has a yacht of its own, along with a helipad, reported Bloomberg.

Developed by Dutch yachtmaker, Oceano, it is named project Y721 and has several decks along with three huge masts, reported the outlet. Said to be the largest sailing yacht built in the Netherlands, it is due to be finished next month, almost two years after it was ordered.

While the cost of the yacht is inconceivable for many, the amount is only a fraction of Mr Bezos’s total worth which currently stands at $191 billion. In fact, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index , Mr Bezos gained about $75 billion in 2020, as the world was fighting the pandemic.

Amazon’s stocks gained 75 per cent last year as consumers turned towards its services for shopping during the pandemic, reported CNN. Bezos isn’t the only billionaire to have gained fortune during the pandemic.

According to a report published by Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax fairness, US billionaires have collectively increased their wealth by $1.1 trillion during the pandemic, making them 40 per cent richer than they were before the pandemic began.

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While Covid-19 was not a factor when Mr Bezos invested his fortune in the superyacht, a Bloomberg analysis showed that its market has grown especially during the pandemic. “The market’s been roaring,” Sam Tucker, head of superyacht research at London-based VesselsValue, was quoted as saying by the outlet.

He further said that the demand for extravagantly high-end yachts has outstripped supply. “It’s impossible to get a slot in a new-build yard,” Mr Tucker said. “They’re totally booked.”

Aino Grapin, chief executive officer of superyacht interiors studio Winch Design, told the outlet that the yacht allows the explorer to cruise for 9,000 nautical miles without the need to refuel it. “Clients can enjoy life at sea for long periods of time without having to go mix with others,” she said.

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Jeff Bezos' $500M Superyacht Spotted In North Sea: All You Need To Know

• At over 230ft, Yacht Koru is reportedly the tallest vessel in the world
• The yacht's three huge masts help it operate with kinetic energy from the sails
• The yacht was constructed at Oceanco's Alblasserdam shipyard in the Netherlands

Former Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ' $500 million superyacht appears to be ready for the sea. It was recently spotted in the North Sea after leaving Rotterdam, Europe's largest seaport located in the Dutch province of South Holland.

Codenamed Y721 or Project 721, the 417-foot-long vessel was seen leaving Rotterdam on Feb. 13 after completing a round of tests, according to footage shared by the ship-watching website Dutch Yachting .

The superyacht took five long years to complete. Bezos christened it Koru, a Maori word indicating "new beginnings," NYPost reported.

At over 230-foot, it is said to be the tallest vessel in the world. The vessel has three decks, one of which also features a swimming pool. It contains a secondary 76-meter support vessel featuring a helicopter landing pad for Bezos and his guests. It is the largest-ever support vessel developed by Damen Yacht. The support vessel Abeona, named after the Roman goddess for outward journeys and safe passage, can fit 45 people, as per Boat International .

The yacht's three huge masts help it operate with kinetic energy from the sails. The aluminum and steel schooner requires a crew of 40 sailors and can host 18 guests.

Built by Oceanco at its shipyard in Alblasserdam, Netherlands, Bezos' super boat landed in a controversy last year after it was reported that the historic Koningshaven Bridge in Rotterdam would be temporarily dismantled to fit the ship's clearance. While Koningshaven had a clearance of 130 feet, Bezos' ship stood at 131 feet (without the masts).

Bezos and shipmaker Oceano had reportedly applied for a permit to dismantle the 100-year-old bridge and pay Rotterdam city back for the renovations needed for the vessel to leave the port.

However, after public backlash , which included threats from residents to throw eggs at the ship, Oceanco withdrew its request to dismantle the bridge and towed away the vessel to another shipyard in a town 24 miles away without its masts for final completion, reported Benzinga .

The project was initially announced in 2018 and the hull of the superyacht became ready only in October 2021. The superyacht will require approximately $25 million in annual costs for operations.

Koru is not the world's most expensive yacht. The title is held by the History Supreme, worth $4.8 billion. The gold and platinum-plated vessel features a Tyrannosaurus rex bone wall made of meteoric stone. It was bought by an anonymous Malaysian businessman in 2011.

Bezos is currently the third-wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $118 billion, according to Forbes .

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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos named as secret owner of luxury $500m superyacht

Amazon’s billionaire founder Jeff Bezos is already the world’s richest man. Now he’s finally set to join the gilded ranks of the haves and have-yachts.

The world’s richest man has been named as the soon-to-be proud owner of one of the most expensive and extravagant superyachts ever built.

At 127metres (420ft) the craft - known only by its project name Y721 - will be as long as the Great Pyramid at Giza is tall, and loaded with state-of-the-art treasures including an in-deck swimming pool and ‘ambient’ cinema, all contributing to a rumoured price tag of around $500million.

It will be one of the finest sailing yachts in existence.

Bezos, whose fortune is around $200 billion, would also have to foot an estimated $50 million annual running costs bill.

Plans for the luxury sailing ship are being kept under wraps but some details have now emerged via its Netherlands-based manufacturer Oceanco’s website and through enthusiast forums.

The details so far available suggest it may be modelled on the 106-metre Black Pearl, pictured below, currently the largest and most technologically advanced sailing yacht in the world.

It will stretch across several decks and be powered with the assistance of three giant masts. Those sails mean it will not sport a helipad - instead, in a twist worthy of the wealthiest Bond villain, sources say it comes with its own yacht.

Bezos and partner, Lauren Sanchez, a helicopter pilot, have commissioned a separate support vessel with a dedicated landing facility.

The luxury yacht sector has thrived through the pandemic as the global elite invest in ever more extravagant boats to avoid the crowds in opulence and privacy.

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Bezos is understood to have put the order in before the virus hit, having spent time on Eos - another three-masted schooner - owned by film and Fox TV mogul Barry Diller and his wife Diane Von Furstenberg, the celebrated fashion designer, in 2019.

He was later pictured on board David Geffen’s yacht in the Balaerics, alongside model Karlie Kloss, Josh Kushner and former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.

Bezos is not short of a few bob, and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission suggest he added to his vast fortune with the sale of nearly $2 billion worth of shares in his company last week.

That came after Amazon reported blockbuster first-quarter earnings results, trouncing Wall Street’s expectations, and took his total disposals to around $10bn in a year.

He had previously outlined proposals to sell around $1bn in Amazon stock each year to fund his space exploration company, Blue Origin, which intends to launch its first astronaut crew to space this summer.

In his forthcoming book on Bezos, Amazon Unbound , Bloomberg journalist Brad Stone discloses further details of the ship, which is also likely to play a central role in Bezos’s life as he steps back from running the online behemoth he created.

He writes: “What did the future hold for their founder? At least part of the answer to that could be found in the shipyards of the Dutch custom yacht builder Oceanco.

“There, outside Rotterdam, a new creation was secretly taking shape: a 127-meter-long, three-mast schooner about which practically nothing was known, even in the whispering confines of luxury boat builders—except that upon completion, it will be one of the finest sailing yachts in existence.”

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Billionaires: Jeff Bezos takes his $500 million superyacht for a test run

In our fortnightly round-up of the world’s super wealthy, mukesh ambani builds on record cricket views with new offerings and winklevoss twins lend $100 million to their gemini crypto platform.

Previously known as Y721, the ship is now registered as Koru and is flying under a Cayman Islands flag. EPA

Billionaire Jeff Bezos should have his new superyacht in time for the summer.

On Wednesday, the 417-foot (127-metre) Koru left a shipyard in the Netherlands and anchored off the coast of Spain near Mallorca, where it’s undergoing tests.

The Koru’s excursion is part of the sea trials where an owner puts the boat through its paces to make sure everything is working properly, according to a person familiar with its travels, who requested anonymity discussing private matters. It could return to the shipyard for final tweaks before being delivered.

The three-mast superyacht is estimated to have cost the Amazon founder more than $500 million.

Mr Bezos, 59, is the world’s third-richest person with a fortune of $126.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Jeff Bezos's $500m superyacht — in pictures

A superyacht, reportedly built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, sits on a slipway in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands. All photos: AP

Previously known as Y721, the ship is now registered as Koru and is flying under a Cayman Islands flag. It’s the largest sailing yacht afloat, according to Boat International , and one of the biggest to be built by Netherlands-based Oceanco.

An Amazon representative did not respond to a request for comment.

The superyacht’s size has caused a number of headaches for Mr Bezos and its builders. The height of its masts was originally going to force the city of Rotterdam to dismantle historic steel bridge De Hef for the boat to be able to make it to the ocean.

City officials initially agreed to temporarily take apart the bridge’s central section, but Oceanco ended up retracting the request amid public outcry. The shipbuilder eventually towed the vessel out to sea without its masts.

The size of the sails also meant that the yacht couldn’t have a helipad on board. Instead, Mr Bezos and his helicopter pilot partner Lauren Sanchez will rely on a support boat, which is currently crossing the Atlantic with a destination of Gibraltar, according to vessel-tracking data.

Mukesh Ambani

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani ’s streaming service will add more than 100 films and TV series to its platform, building on the popularity of its cricket broadcasts in its push to take on global giants such as Walt Disney and Netflix in the fast-growing Indian market.

The expansion will coincide with JioCinema starting to charge for content, though the exact pricing strategy is still being finalised, media and content business president Jyoti Deshpande said in an interview.

New titles will be introduced before the end of the Indian Premier League cricket next month, and viewers will still be able to watch matches for free until then, she said.

Mr Ambani’s sprawling conglomerate has aspirations to become a global media and online streaming behemoth.

Last year, Viacom18 Media, a joint venture between Paramount Global and the billionaire’s Reliance Industries, outbid Disney and Sony Group to clinch the digital rights to IPL — one of the world’s fastest-growing sports events that’s seen as a critical way for any media company to lure eyeballs in India.

The potential viewership in India, home to 1.4 billion people and with a growing middle class and expanding internet access, is immense.

JioCinema drew more than 1.47 billion video views during the opening weekend of the IPL in April, and had 22 million viewers for a match on Wednesday.

It remains a market that’s been hard to crack for global streaming platform giants: Netflix has cut its fees to lure price-conscious users, while a robust local cinema-going culture means Indian viewers can be picky in what they’ll watch online.

Both price and content are at the front of mind in JioCinema’s expansion, said Ms Deshpande.

The plan is to “keep tariffs simple for viewers”, she said.

Currently, the streaming space “is dominated by westernised content. Jio Studios wants to become a catalyst for cross pollination of talent. We want to get as Indian as it can,” she added.

That includes rolling out films and series from thrillers and romance to biopics in languages including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and Gujarati.

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss

Billionaires Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss have dipped into their own pockets to support their crypto exchange Gemini Trust , which has faced numerous setbacks during the year-long market downturn for digital assets.

The twins made a $100 million loan to Gemini recently, according to two people familiar with the matter, who did not wish to be identified discussing private information.

The move came after Gemini had informally sought funding from outside investors in recent months without coming to any agreements, according to three people.

Gemini and the Winklevoss twins didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Venture funding for crypto start-ups has cratered following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and slowdowns in the tech and crypto industries, plummeting 80 per cent to $2.4 billion in the first quarter compared with the same period last year, according to data from research firm PitchBook.

Gemini has experienced its own troubles during the crypto bear market, a sharp contrast to when it raised $400 million at a valuation of $7.1 billion in November 2021.

Fallout from the implosion of FTX led to the bankruptcy of crypto lender Genesis Global Holdco, severely bruising Gemini in the process.

Genesis Global had been Gemini’s sole partner on its Gemini Earn lending product and when Genesis froze withdrawals in November, that forced Gemini to pause redemptions on Earn accounts.

The move left $900 million of customer money in limbo and sparked a heated spat between the Winklevoss twins and Barry Silbert, chief executive of Digital Currency Group, the parent company of Genesis.

In February, the two parties reached an agreement in principle to resolve the dispute, under which Gemini would kick in as much as $100 million.

The Winklevoss loan won’t go towards that, but rather to fund operations, one person familiar with the matter said.

David and Simon Reuben

David and Simon Reuben are exploring ways to finalise one of Los Angeles’s biggest real estate projects after taking control over major parts of the $2.5 billion plan through debt financing deals.

The British billionaire brothers are in talks over a revised repayment plan with the US property developer behind the Century Plaza site after it defaulted on loans during the pandemic, according to a statement from the Reubens’ namesake company.

The project, which includes a five-star hotel as well as retail stores and residential units, is almost complete.

Reuben Brothers is now “engaged in discussions on a forbearance agreement with the borrower, Next Century Partners, controlled by Michael Rosenfeld, to ensure the project will move forward”, their company said, without disclosing financial terms.

“With the funding and development secured, Century Plaza can cement itself as a premier luxury residential complex in the centre of Los Angeles.”

Representatives for Next Century Partners didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The situation underscores the risks many real estate companies worldwide face as higher interest rates to curb surging inflation lead to more defaults.

Money managers have recently stepped up their bearish bets against office landlords: Warren Buffett has warned there will be problems for banks in the commercial property sector, while investor Kyle Bass went as far as saying skyscrapers will need to be demolished.

The Reubens control one of the world’s biggest portfolios of retail, office and residential properties. Sons of Iraqi Jews, they were born in India and moved to London as teenagers.

They built a fortune trading metals and later invested in real estate, leisure and technology companies. David, 84, and Simon, 81, have a combined net worth of $13.6 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

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Jeff Bezos is building a gigantic luxury yacht that's expected to be one of the best in the world — and he's adding a 'support yacht' with its own helipad

• Jeff Bezos is building a 127-meter luxury mega-yacht, according to a new book.
• He is also adding a second, "support yacht" that has its own helipad. 
• Bezos hasn't owned a ship in the past, but he's displayed a fondness for yacht travel.

Jeff Bezos may soon be sailing the high seas in his very own mega-yacht. 

The Amazon CEO has commissioned a 127-meter custom yacht from the Dutch shipbuilder Oceanco, according to an excerpt from Brad Stone's forthcoming book, "Amazon Unbound," that was published in Bloomberg Businessweek on Wednesday.

The three-mast ship is expected to be "one of the finest sailing yachts in existence," but other details about the yacht are unknown, even among those in the exclusive luxury boat world, Stone reports.

Related stories

In addition to the mega-yacht, Bezos has reportedly commissioned a second, smaller, "support yacht" that will include its own helipad. Bezos' girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, is a helicopter pilot and Stone reports that Bezos has taken flying lessons as well. 

A representative for Bezos did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read more: Jeff Bezos responds to employee question about his resignation as CEO, says Amazon can 'out-survive any individual in the company, including, of course, myself'

While massive yachts are often an accessory of the mega-rich , Bezos, who is the richest person in the world with a fortune worth $193 billion , hasn't previously had a boat of his own. A viral photo in 2019 claimed Bezos was the owner of a $400 million yacht known as the Flying Fox . Amazon denied that the ship belonged to Bezos.

Regardless, Bezos does appear to have a fondness for yacht travel. Throughout the summer of 2019 , he and Sanchez were spotted aboard a yacht belonging to entertainment mogul David Geffen, and then a yacht owned by fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. Earlier this year, the couple was spotted aboard another yacht in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico .

Bezos announced in February that he plans to step down as Amazon's CEO in the third quarter of 2021 — Andy Jassy, the CEO of AWS, will take his place. Bezos said at the time that while he plans to stay involved in important initiatives at Amazon as its executive chairman, his goal is to spend more time on philanthropy — including the Bezos Earth Fund and his Day One Fund — as well as his two other major endeavors: The Washington Post, which he purchased 2013, and his rocket company, Blue Origin.  

Watch: Jeff Bezos on regulating giant tech companies: 'I expect us to be scrutinized'

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Jeff Bezos’s New Yacht Comes With Its Own Yacht?

Another day, another reason that we must simply eat the rich. Construction is almost complete on the $500 million superyacht purchased by Amazon Daddy and Lizzo superfan Jeff Bezos. The 417-foot-long monstrosity, which Bezos bought two years ago, is among the biggest ever built in the Netherlands, the unofficial big-boat-building capital of the world.

What does a yacht longer than a football field come with? Multiple decks, an “ ambient cinema,” and its own support yacht. Yes, the yacht comes with its own yacht.

Project Y721 — the big boat’s temporary name — also has its own helipad. This is apropos given the rumors that Bezos’s sudden interest in helicopters may be what exposed his affair with now-girlfriend and famously “alive girl” Lauren Sanchez.

On top of the half-a-billion-dollar price tag, operating costs for the yacht will average about $60 million a year, per Bloomberg . To put that into context, for someone who makes $68,700 a year, the current median income in the U.S., that’d be like paying $23 in yearly operating costs. A pittance for the literal richest man on the planet.

Bezos isn’t the only rich person continuing to do rich-person things amid a struggling global economy. As Bloomberg reports, the yacht industry is among the few markets that thrived despite the spread of coronavirus. This shouldn’t come as any surprise, given the pandemic made the rich even richer . Bezos, for example, saw his wealth increase by 57 percent, per CBS News . Between March 18, 2020, and March, 18 2021, Bezos’s worth grew from $113 billion to $178 billion. Last year, the median income among Amazon employees was $29,007, per Business Insider .

Perhaps this purchase is Bezos in full post-divorce crisis mode. (He did buy the yacht the same year he and MacKenzie Scott announced they would be splitting.) While Scott recently remarried , Bezos continues to surround himself with the biggest, dumbest things money can buy. If anything, this all just further proof that the only good boats are the ones that get stuck .

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Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos's New Yacht Costs $500 Million

Megabillionaire Jeff Bezos's monstrous yacht cost an estimated $500 million. The cost doesn’t even include the support boat.

May 13 2021, Published 3:57 p.m. ET

While the rest of the world might be struggling to pay rent in an economy hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is getting a new boat. 

Bezos's new boat isn't just any ordinary boat. The Project 721 is a 417-foot superyacht with several decks, three masts, and even its own “support yacht” with a helipad, reports Bloomberg . 

Reportedly, it's the largest vessel ever built by the Dutch luxury yacht builder, Oceanco. 

This Oceanco yacht is smaller than the one Jeff Bezos purchased.

The monstrous yacht’s estimated cost is $500 million, and that cost doesn’t even include the support boat. 

Business boomed for Bezos during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The world hadn’t even heard about COVID-19 when Bezos ordered his boat a few years ago. However, the COVID-19 pandemic boosted Amazon's business. Worldwide, people were forced to stay home and have many of their necessities sent directly to them.

If you needed toothpaste, Amazon was there for you. 

In 2020, Amazon (AMZN) stock climbed 75 percent and made Bezos about $75 billion richer than he already was. According to Bloomberg , his total net worth is almost $200 billion. 

Sales for luxury superyachts have surged.

Apparently, Bezos isn’t the only member of the super-rich to buy a superyacht during the COVID-19 pandemic. Superyacht sales surged at the end of 2020 and in the first quarter of 2021. The demand for extravagantly high-end yachts has outstripped supply, Bloomberg reports. 

“The market’s been roaring,” Sam Tucker, head of superyacht research at London-based VesselsValue, told Bloomberg . “It’s impossible to get a slot in a new-build yard. They’re totally booked.”

Boats have actually been a popular pandemic purchase for many people, not just the ultra-wealthy. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, boat sales hit a 13-year high last year. When it comes to social distancing, day-drinking on a boat is a better option than going to a bar or restaurant. 

How many yachts does Jeff Bezos own?

By all accounts, the Project 721 superyacht is Bezos’s first yacht. He caught the yachting bug in 2019 while sailing on his friend billionaire Barry Diller’s yacht, Eos. 

Comedians roasted Jeff Bezos over his yacht purchase.

After news came out about Captain Bezos and his ginormous boat, it didn’t take long for the jokes to start.

“The founder of Amazon is reportedly building a $500 million superyacht that is so big, it requires a ‘support yacht’ to travel with it. This is like the billionaire version of having a second fridge in your garage,” said comedian and late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

“It sounds like an old-time comedian’s routine, doesn’t it? Jeff Bezos is so rich, even his boats have got boats. Bezos is so rich, when he goes to the A.T.M., the A.T.M. asks him for money.” said James Corden, host of The Late Late Show .

“The pandemic has been a boom time for billionaires, and they are using their profits to give back to hard-hit communities, as long as those communities build giant, shiny new yachts,” joked Late Show host Stephen Colbert. 

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Jeff Bezos' Controversial $500 Million Yacht Reportedly Caught on Tape Taking First Trip Out to Sea The 417-foot boat is rumored to belong to the billionaire and Amazon founder.

By Emily Rella • Mar 8, 2023

Jeff Bezos' mysterious mega yacht, which cost an estimated $500 million to build, has been the cause of much contention in the past due to its massive size nearly becoming the reason that a historic bridge in the Netherlands was going to need to be dismantled.

Instead, after public outcry, the boat was towed from the Dutch shipyard where it was built without its sails, thus saving the famed Koningshaven Bridge in Rotterdam from being taken apart.

Related: Jeff Bezos' Megayacht Was Quietly Towed From a Dutch Shipyard — Watch the Video

Word on the boat went relatively silent until this week when footage was released that reportedly shows the billionaire's massive ship (called Koru) out at sea a few weeks ago.

The giant sailing yacht reportedly left Rotterdam on February 13 and took a trial run sailing the North Sea, per the footage released by Dutch Yachting .

Bezos originally commissioned the yacht to be built in May 2021 by Dutch-based boating company Oceanco, dubbed project Y721. It's rumored to have multiple decks, a pool, and a separate, smaller yacht with a helipad to allow the billionaire easy access to and from the boat.

Related: Bezos Commissions a $500 Million Mega Yacht That Comes With Its Own Support Yacht

Neither the Amazon founder nor Oceanco have confirmed that Bezos owns the boat seen in the footage.

A look at Bezos' rumored mega yacht in the Oceanco shipyard in August 2022. (via Shutterstock)

It's no secret that Bezos is a fan of privacy and luxury when it comes to his time off.

Just months after he paid for the commission of Koru, he reportedly purchased a $78 million Hawaiian compound called the Carter Estate, which includes a deeded cover part of the Pacific Ocean, making Bezos not only the owner of a private beach but of a part of the ocean itself.

Bezos' net worth was an estimated $118.1 billion as of Wednesday afternoon.

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Amazon’s Jeff Bezos orders triple-masted, 127-metre yacht at Oceanco

by Mariska Buitendijk | May 13, 2021 | News , Ship design , Shipbuilding , Yachts | 0 comments

As usual when it comes to naming owners of yachts, the spokesman of Dutch superyacht builder Oceanco in Alblasserdam refuses any comment. Yet, press agency Bloomberg, followed by other respectable media like the Dutch Financieele Dagblad, is sure that the world’s richest man, Amazon.com’s Jeff Bezos has ordered a megayacht in the Netherlands.

It will be a true megayacht; Oceanco’s Project Y721 measures 127 metres and with its three masts it will be the largest sailing yacht in the world. With that, it will also be the largest yacht ever built in the Netherlands.

Oceanco is no stranger to record-breaking superyachts. The shipyard delivered the 106.7-metre Black Pearl in 2018, which remains the largest DynaRig sailing yacht in the world, characterised by three 70-metre-tall carbon masts.

Also read: The owners of superyachts built in the Netherlands revealed

USD 500 million yacht

According to Bloomberg, which is citing a new book about Bezos, “Amazon Unbound” by the American author Brad Stone, the yacht will cost some USD 500 million. Peanuts for Bezos, as he is estimated by the American business magazine Forbes to be worth no less than USD 177 billion (EUR 149 billon). Bezos’ online retail platform Amazon reported a net income over 2020 of USD 21.33 billion, up from USD 11.6 billion in 2019. During the same fiscal period, the company’s revenue amounted to more than USD 385 billion.

This huge profit is amongst others thanks to the fact that Amazon doesn’t pay taxes in most European countries. At least some of this tax money will return to the Netherlands by having this yacht built in Alblasserdam. With this 127-metre yacht, the Dutch superyacht builders enter the market of the really large megayachts that until recently used to be the monopoly of the German superyacht yards.

Also read: World Superyacht Awards for Oceanco’s Black Pearl and DAR

Picture: The Oceanco built Black Pearl (by Tom van Oossanen/Oceanco as published in SWZ|Maritime’s September 2019 issue).

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The superyachts owned by tech moguls

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to join the exclusive club of yacht-owning tech tycoons as the rumoured owner of Oceanco's mighty 127m sailing yacht . Though it should come as no surprise - other big names in tech such as the late Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Paul Allen have been responsible for some of the biggest and most ground-breaking superyachts in the world...

The 127-metre Oceanco sailing yacht Koru, formerly Y721, was launched and reportedly delivered to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in April 2023. This three-masted schooner, meaning “new beginnings” in Maori, with an expected 33000 GT and a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, is the largest in the world and the longest built in the Netherlands at Oceanco. Knocking Lürssen's Eos , owned by Biller and Diane von Furstenburg, off the top spot, Koru harnesses design similarities with her black hull, white superstructure and classic lines. However, the intricate gold paintwork, scarlet bootstrap and elaborate figurehead on the bow particularly set her apart.

Larry Ellison

American business magnate Larry Ellison is the co-founder of the billion-dollar computer tech corporation Oracle. In 2004, he commissioned the 138-metre Lürssen superyacht Rising Sun (pictured), which stands today as the 15th largest yacht in the world. It was also the last yacht that ever came from the drawing boards of legendary designed Jon Bannenberg, sporting a military-esque profile with a lean destroyer-type hull and extensive use of structural glass . Rising Sun boasts 8,000m² of living space including a wine cellar and basketball court, with a crew of 45. One of her tenders, a catamaran, even carries the yacht’s 4x4 vehicle ashore. 

Ellison later sold the yacht to media mogul David Geffen and has since hosted a parade of Hollywood's glitterati on board including Leonardo DiCaprio, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey – to name a few. 

In 2011, Ellison appeared to downsize and took delivery of the 88-metre Feadship Musashi . Not unlike Rising Sun in its appearance, structural glass features heavily throughout with a central glass lift, surrounded by a stainless steel and glass staircase that passes through every deck.

More about this yacht

The late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is responsible for two of the most iconic superyachts in the world. At 126-metres in length, Octopus is perhaps his most famous. Built by Lürssen in 2003, this ice-classed superyacht was designed for extended cruising to the most remote locations on earth with a range of 12,500 nautical miles. Home to a helicopter garage, drive-in tender garage, six tenders, and a submarine, she packs a serious punch within her 9,932GT – not to mention the cinema, swimming pool, recording studio, basketball court and spa. At the end of 2019, she joined the market for the very first time , having completed an eight-month refit at Blohm+Voss, and remains the benchmark for exploration yachting.

Tatoosh is another honourable mention and was built by German shipyard Nobiskrug in 2000, three years prior to the delivery of Octopus . At 92-metres, she's smaller than her successor, but to describe Tatoosh as "small" would be a severe understatement. Highlights include a six-foot-deep swimming pool, a pair of helipads, a crew of 30, and a custom 12-metre Hinckley powerboat that she carries on her top deck. Tatoosh is also listed for sale following a refit earlier this year. 

Yachts for charter

The 78-metre Feadship Venus was built for the late Apple boss and founder Steve Jobs. Built under the codename Project Aqua, Venus was launched to international fanfare in 2012, heralded for its extensive use of glass and pared-back design courtesy of Philippe Starck . Innovative features include a false top deck that conceals the communication and television receivers from view and a passarelle that, when opened, looks like the charging port of an iPhone. Venus ’s interior details have been closely guarded since its launch. Sadly, Jobs died a year before the yacht was delivered.

Charles Simonyi

Charles Simonyi led the team that built the first edition of the Microsoft Office software suite and was rumoured to have previously owned Lürssen’s iconic 71-metre SKAT .  Nearly two decades after her launch in 2002, she joined the market for the first time and now Simonyi is thought to have upgraded to the 89-metre Lürssen Norn . Both yachts, penned by Espen Onion, share similar design features. Standout features include an alfresco cinema and adapted depth pool floor with dance floor. Norn was delivered in May 2023.

Sergey Brin

Google co-founder Sergey Brin reportedly owns the high-speed SilverYachts superyacht named Dragonfly , after Google’s once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. Delivered in 2009, the 73.3-metre Dragonfly was hailed as the fastest, most fuel-efficient long-range cruising superyacht on the water with a transatlantic range at 22 knots and a fuel consumption of only 360 litres per hour at 18 knots, extending her range to 4,500 nautical miles. Dragonfly is said to have a dance floor and open-air movie theatre on board. The vessel was applauded for its contribution to the disaster relief effort in Vanuatu after Hurricane Pam devastated the island in 2015. The crew reportedly moved 62 metric tons of freshwater ashore, treated over 250 patients, facilitated three medical evacuations, and built shelters in multiple villages and cleared numerous helicopter landing zones for ongoing support.

Google’s billionaire co-founder Larry Page purchased the 60-metre explorer yacht conversion Senses from a New Zealand businessman Sir Douglas Myers back in 2011. The globe-trotting superyacht features interiors by Philippe Starck and can accommodate a total of 12 guests on board, with primary guests reaping the benefits of the master suite's gyro-stabilised bed. Senses also houses an exceptional toy box with three high-speed tenders, six wave runners, a jet board and a JetLev. According to the New Zealand Herald, Senses is currently undergoing a refit in Whangārei, New Zealand, after being sold to an unknown buyer in 2020. 

Barry Diller

The world’s largest three-masted schooner – also the third largest sailing yacht in the world – is owned by fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg and her husband Barry Diller, chairman and senior executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and Expedia Group. The 92.92-metre sailing yacht, named Eos , was built in Germany by Lürssen and delivered in 2006 with a trio of masts that stand 61-metres tall. The sailing yacht has hosted the couple's star-studded group of friends including Andy Cohen, Gayle King, Bradley Cooper, Harry Styles and Karlie Kloss. The interiors were designed by Francois Catroux, who Vanity Fair named as “the super-rich's favourite interior designer" in 2016.

Mark Zuckerburg

The 107-metre Kleven superyacht Andromeda was built for serial superyacht owner Graeme Hart and delivered under the name Ulysses . In 2017, a year after its launch, rumours began circulating that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg had purchased the rugged, six-deck explorer (although a Facebook spokesperson was quick to stamp out the rumours and released a statement denying the claims). Andromeda can carry 36 guests and is equipped with an impressive inventory of toys and tenders, including six motorbikes, two ATVs, a helicopter and an amphibious rib. Five years after her launch, Andromeda still ranks among the largest explorer yachts in the world . 

Eric Schmidt

The former Google ceo Eric Schmidt backed out of the purchase of the abandoned 81.3-metre Oceanco Alfa Nero but has been said to have moved onto become the new owner of a 95-metre Lürssen. Kismet was sold in September 2023 to the billionaire as part of one of the biggest brokerage deal of the year. With the details shrouded in secrecy the yacht is now aptly known as Whisper . Espen Onio was responsible for her iconic exterior while inside was thanks to  Reymond Langton , achieving the original brief from the previous commissioning owner Shahid Khan of “caviar and champagne.” Standout details include the hi-tech, art deco saloon, a private observation platform and the Persian-inspired spa area.

The co-founder and former ceo of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, has been rumoured to own the 99.9-metre Feadship , Moonrise. The yacht’s clean and strong lines, penned by Chris Bottoms from Studio de Voogt , won the highly competitive class of best displacement motor yachts above 3,000 GT in the World Superyacht Awards 2021. Features include the helicopter landing deck and modern interiors by Remi Tessier . Accommodation is for up to 16 guests, and there are 32 crew members onboard Moonrise to attend to the guests' every need. The Ukrainian-American mogul is also said to own the accompanying support vessel Nebula.

Evan Speigel

The Silicone Valley ceo, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel has been reportedly said to own the 94.8-metre Feadship Bliss. Delivered in 2021 the motor yacht penned by Feadship's Studio De Voogt Naval Architects has most recently been spotted cruising Auckland in September 2023. Spiegel is rumoured to be Feadship's younger client. Bliss can accommodate up to 18 guests across nine staterooms; however little else is known about the 2983 GT yacht.

Sponsored listings

• May 13, 2021

Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos Reportedly Building $500m Sailing Yacht

By: Scott Way

When the superyacht you ordered requires a 'support yacht' with its own helipad, you know you're living the prime life. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has finally been linked to the mysterious superyacht Project 721 currently under construction by Oceanco in the Netherlands.

For a guy who insisted on driving a rundown Honda Accord during Amazon 's formative years, Bezos has evidently developed an affinity for the finer things. With his wealth jumping by $75 billion in 2020 alone, the new vessel is a testament to what's possible with a sailing yacht. While the order was placed long before his recent windfall, it carries a length of 417 feet (127 m), has three masts, and at least 3 decks. The most notable feature is that it does not have a helipad -- because of the masts -- so a secondary 246 foot (75 m) 'support yacht' will be constructed with its own helipad to support the main ship.

This isn't the first time Bezos has been suspected as the owner of a superyacht. In 2019, the Flying Fox was spotted publicly for the first time and many suspected Bezos was its mysterious owner. As it turns out, the megayacht is owned by a friend of the Amazon founder, and Bezos was only captured vacationing on the ship with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez. After a taste of the yachting life, evidently he decided it was better to own than to rent.

Not much is known about the current build, aside from its length and several photos showing it under construction in a Dutch shipyard. Choosing Oceanco as the builder is a wise choice considering the company built the similarly shaped Black Pearl , an award-winning 350 foot three masted sailing yacht, for Russian billionaire Oleg Burlakov. Oceanco also built the Bravo Eugenia for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones , which carries a similar shape and design to the Bezos build. Once completed, Project 721 will be the second largest sailing yacht in the world behind only the 469 foot Sailing Yacht A owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko .

For some (unusual) perspective, the $500 million Bezos-mobile doesn't even crack the Top 3 in superyachts. Russian businessman Roman Abramovich has the world's most expensive superyacht, the Eclipse , worth an astounding $1.5 billion. The 533 foot vessel has two helipads, a mini submarine, 24 cabins, and a dance hall. It also has an intruder detection missile system, armor plating, bulletproof windows, and motion sensors for the security conscious. Then there's the Azzam , built for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s royal family. It is the longest superyacht in the world at a modest 591 feet and cost a reported $600 million to build. The Azzam has accommodations for 36 guests and 80 crew and has a gym, a pool, and a 'golf training room.' And then there's The Streets of Monaco superyacht , which is a floating replica of the famous French city. The $1 billion, 508 foot aquatic metropolis includes scaled-down landmarks of the real Monaco including the Hotel de Paris and the Monaco Casino, as well as an atrium, waterfall, and racetrack.

Despite the impressive nature of Project 721, it will be a while before sea trials. Dutch Yachting captured the beginnings of the three-part hull for Y721 under construction in February, and there is still some work to be done.

Now, full disclosure: there is still not a verified connection between Bezos and Project 721. It certainly appears to be the case, but Oceanco is declining to comment, for obvious reasons. The vessel will not be complete until 2022 at the earliest, so confirmation is likely coming. Someone will surely notice if it docks in Seattle next to Amazon HQ. There is also no word on what the yacht will be called, but if Bezos is indeed the owner we'd like to nominate Primetime for the title.

#news #culture

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Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Soak Up the Sun During Outing on Rumored $500M Yacht

The Amazon founder and the Emmy-award-winning journalist were photographed sailing together in Spain

Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are enjoying yacht life together.

The Amazon founder, 59, and the Emmy-award-winning journalist and helicopter pilot, 53, were photographed in Spain on Monday, sailing around Mallorca aboard his rumored $500 million yacht .

Bezos sported a pair of light blue swim shorts and a jacket while Sánchez wore a a pink bikini and a cover-up.

The luxury 417-foot-long yacht , named Koru, is believed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world, featuring three towering masts , several decks (including one with a pool), and a supporting 250-foot-long yacht with a helipad, according to Boat International.

Although Oceanco, a Netherlands-based custom yacht builder has refused to confirm the owner of the vessel, it was reportedly due to be completed and delivered to Bezos earlier this year, per the outlet — and it was spotted at sea for the first time in March, after leaving the port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, in February.

Bezos reportedly first began eyeing the yacht in May 2021 , when it was known as Project 271.

The vessel previously made headlines last year when it was reported that the city of Rotterdam had agreed to temporarily dismantle part of the historic Koningshaven Bridge in order to accommodate the yacht, a city spokeswoman told The Washington Post at the time. (Bezos purchased the Post in 2013, but newspaper staff has said they have editorial independence .)

However, following an uproar, city officials reversed their decision .

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This is just the latest outing for Bezos and Sánchez, who have been dating since 2019. Earlier this month, the pair were spotted together at the F1 Miami Grand Prix and they also attended Coachella together in April. At the music festival they were seen dancing and being affectionate with one another during Bad Bunny 's set.

RELATED VIDEO: Lauren Sánchez Shares Sweet Selfies with Partner Jeff Bezos for Valentine's Day 2023: 'My Heart Is Full'

Earlier this year, Sánchez paid tribute to her partner on Valentine's Day with a series of sweet selfies and a special message on Instagram.

"My heart is full ❤️🤍," the award-winning journalist said in the caption of her post.

Sánchez also shared a special birthday message for the billionaire in January, in which she thanked him "for being the most loving and supportive partner."

"Happy birthday to the man of my dreams, who lights up my world with his laughter and kind heart. You have shown me that no great love is not bravely fought for," Sánchez wrote in the caption.

"I am so grateful for the memories we have made and the adventures yet to come," she added. "Here's to many more birthdays filled with love and laughter."

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$500M yacht reportedly built for Amazon’s Jeff Bezos too big for beloved bridge

• Associated Press

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — A giant, $500 million yacht reportedly being built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos faces a delivery problem: It may require dismantling a beloved, historic bridge in Rotterdam that is blocking its passage to the sea.

Reports this week that the Dutch city had already agreed to take apart the recently renovated Koningshaven Bridge, known locally as De Hef, sparked anger. On Facebook, locals are proposing to pelt the yacht with rotten eggs when it passes through.

However, a spokeswoman for Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told The Associated Press on Friday that while a shipbuilder has requested temporarily taking apart the bridge this summer, no permit has yet been sought or granted.

Many Rotterdam residents are still concerned.

“I think it’s easy to understand why it’s so controversial because this is a very beautiful, recently restored old bridge,” said Lizette Touber. “It really is our heritage. And I think that if the rich can pay for it to be opened, which normally nobody else could do, then you get controversy.”

In a written statement, Aboutaleb, who is on a visit to Colombia, said that once a request for a permit is submitted it will be assessed based on factors including economic impact, environmental nuisance and possible risks to the “monumental structure” of the bridge.

“When the permit has been applied for, the municipality can make a decision about this, details can be further elaborated and a plan can be made in the event of a positive decision,” the statement said.

The municipality declined to comment on who owns the yacht in question or identify the shipbuilder. An email sent to Amazon seeking comment went unanswered. A report by Bloomberg in May 2021 said the yacht was being built for Bezos by Oceanco at a cost of “upwards of $500 million.”

The current Hef railway bridge was opened for trains to cross the Maas River in 1927 and taken out of service in 1993 when it was replaced by a tunnel. Public protests spared it from demolition and it eventually underwent a three-year renovation that ended in 2017. The middle section of the bridge can be raised to allow ships to pass underneath, but apparently not high enough for the new yacht’s masts.

Ton Wesselink, chairman of a Rotterdam historical society, feared that a decision to allow one yacht through the bridge could set a precedent for others.

“The thing we don’t want is that this yacht issue will open the possibility for shipbuilders to use it the same way,” he said in an email to AP.

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But there were voices of support for the proposal.

“I think it’s fine. Let Bezos pay a high price. It creates work. I only see upsides,” said Rotterdam resident Ria van den Vousten.

“If it is paid for and everybody makes some money, don’t complain. Don’t talk, but act, as we say in Rotterdam,” she added.

By ALEKSANDAR FURTULA and MIKE CORDER, Associated Press. Corder reported from The Hague.

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Meek Mill says ‘sick’ rumors about him and Diddy being gay confused 12-year-old son

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Meek Mill slammed rumors about him and Sean “Diddy” Combs having a romantic relationship, saying the speculation has confused his 12-year-old son.

The “Dreams and Nightmares” rapper, 36, took to social media Monday to double down that he is not gay after music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones claimed in a bombshell $30 million lawsuit against Combs , 54, that the Bad Boy Records founder had slept with “a Philadelphia rapper who dated Nicki Minaj.”

“I don’t believe no Diddy story once they lied about me now! Anybody try to sexually assault me it will be a bang out on the spot how yall don’t know that lol I don’t care but yall confusing my son he’s 12 with people saying his dad gay it’s sick now outchea so f–k it,” Mill wrote on X .

In a second post, he added , “How a n—a tryna clap another guy and say ‘a guy from Philadelphia did it too’ I want all the evidence to come out tf … I’m not apart of the freak or coke part of the industry … I’m not a heathen how did I get in the convo… because I’m changing laws holding major influence!”

Mill shares sons Murad, 15, and Rihmeek, 12, with Fahimah Raheem and son Czar, 4, with Milan Rouge.

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The Philadelphia-born hitmaker was in a  high-profile relationship  with Minaj, 41, from 2015 to 2017.

He previously defended his “manhood” in a lengthy post on X after Jones filed his lawsuit in February.

“I’m from Philly I don’t do coke or freaky ass molly … nobody won’t even offer me coke because I’m that heavy …. No man or watt would ever approach me about gay activity and the whole place don’t get flipped … woke up seeing this on every blog like they know I’m coming! lol,” he wrote at the time.

“Yall see these rappers with gay styles they want that look … leave that too [sic] them I come from that gangsta s–t surviving in the jungle!” Mill, whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, wrote in another message.

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The “All Eyes on You” rapper also shared an explicit post about sleeping with women “twice a day.”

“P–y don’t control me but it’s like a high… one love to the gay people but that juicy p–y do it for meeeeee I done ran red lights to get that feeling yall weird on here like devils lol,” he wrote.

Jones’ lawsuit also accused Combs, who was his boss, of repeatedly sexually assaulting him while he was working on his latest album, “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” from September 2022 to November 2023.

The producer claimed the father of seven would grope his genitals and touch his anus in order to coerce him into having sex.

Combs’ lawyer, Shawn Holley, previously told Page Six his client denied the allegations, claiming that “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar” who filed the suit “shamelessly” looking for an “undeserved” payday.

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