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NOT FOR CHARTER *

This Yacht is not for Charter*

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TANGO yacht NOT for charter*

77.7m  /  254'11 | feadship | 2011.

Owner & Guests

Cabin Configuration

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Elevator for easy access between floors
• Multi-award winning
• Extensive health and beauty center, including beach club and beauty salon
• Swimming pool
• Lloyds Register ✠ 100A1, SSC, YACHT, MONO, G6. ✠ LMC, UMS classification

The multi-award winning 77.7m/254'11" motor yacht 'Tango' was built by Feadship in the Netherlands at their Kaag shipyard. Her interior is styled by British designer design house Harrison Eidsgaard and she was completed in 2011. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Harrison Eidsgaard.

Guest Accommodation

Tango has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 14 guests in 7 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 20 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include a beauty salon, beauty salon, elevator, beach club, gym and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Tango is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by 4 x diesel MTU (16V4000 M70) 16-cylinder 3,111hp engines running at 2000rpm, she reaches a maximum speed of 22 knots. Tango features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels. Her water tanks store around 41,000 Litres of fresh water. She was built to Lloyds Register ✠ 100A1, SSC, YACHT, MONO, G6. ✠ LMC, UMS classification society rules.

*Charter Tango Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Tango is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Tango Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Tango Photos

Tango Awards & Nominations

• The World Superyacht Awards 2012 Best Displacement Motor Yacht of 1,300GT to 2,999GT (approximately 60m – 84m) Winner
• The ShowBoats Design Awards 2012 Interior Design Award: Displacement Motor Yachts 200′+ Finalist
• The ShowBoats Design Awards 2012 Exterior Design & Styling Award: Displacement Motor Yachts 200′+ Winner
• The ShowBoats Design Awards 2012 Interior Layout Award: Motor Yachts Finalist
• The World Superyacht Awards 2012 Motor Yacht of the Year Winner

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

M/Y Tango

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TANGO Yacht – Immaculate $120 Million Superyacht

Fully custom with 1,730 HP diesel engines, it exudes power and luxury. It was built in the Netherlands by Feadship and was delivered to the owner in March 2011. 

She currently sails under the Cook Islands flag and docks at the Astilleros de Mallorca refit yard in Spain.   

TANGO yacht interior

The interior was designed by Harrison Eidsgaard, a London-based studio that’s passionate about creating unique designs tailored to the owner’s lifestyle. They also worked on notable yacht and aircraft projects. 

Accommodation for the guests is offered on the main deck. There’s a hall that leads to a private study and the owner’s stateroom with his/hers bath and dressing room. This custom-built superyacht also boasts a massage/beauty salon and custom furniture pieces. 

While the exact looks of the interior remain private, we know that its design elements are unparalleled.

Harrison Eidsgaard is known for their passion for detail while drawing inspiration from their varying backgrounds.   

Harrison Eidsgaard designed the exterior of the TANGO yacht. The steel hull, a teak deck, and an aluminum framework form a muscular yet elegant profile.

The top deck has grey/silver elements, creating a gentle contrast with the silver base. TANGO also features the signature Feadship signature lines, a symbol of style and performance.   

The contra-flow pool and a sundeck with an outdoor cinema are on the aft. There is comfortable seating, an impressive bar, a sky lounge, and al-fresco dining.    

Specifications

the TANGO yacht has a stunning length of 77.7m (254’11”) with a 12.2m (40’0″) beam. Her draft measures 3.65m (11’12”) and weighs 2083 tons.

With four diesel-type MTU engines, she can cruise up to a top speed of 21.0 knots.

She also carries 202 000 liters of fuel and 41,000 liters of water. As the 20th largest yacht built by Feadship, she can accommodate up to 14 guests and 22 crew members.   

Price 

As of today, the Feadship motor yacht Tango is not for sale. However, it has an estimated price of $120 million.    

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• Harrisson Eidgaard

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

It takes a team to Tango: The inside story of the fourth Wallycento superyacht

• Toby Hodges
• September 17, 2020

This fourth Wallycento took the design and build to an aggressive new level. Toby Hodges reports from a test sail of Tango off the coast of Monaco

This may be the fourth 100ft yacht designed to the Wallycento box rule, but it’s one that raises the bar with regard to combining form and functionality with outrageously cool aesthetics. Considering that Wally is yachting’s deity of style, that’s saying something.

Tango is at the very forefront of modern fast monohull design and advanced technology. Its stealthy black livery and long, low lines combine with a bold reverse sheerline to create a potent, powerful look. The ruthlessly clean deck is signature Wally. The image of the single helmsman on deck, with all that power and beauty controlled simply by the touch of a network of buttons on the pedestals, has become an icon for the Italian brand.

If Tango ’s form is captivating on paper, in the flesh it’s mesmerising. As a sail trial from Monaco was to prove, however, here is a yacht that is just as much about function and how its detailed design and engineering allows it to perform as a cutting edge racer-cruiser. Rigorous weight centralisation, rig and rudder adjustment and an innovative ramp deck are core design details that demonstrate a new level of grand prix racing-inspired thinking.

‘The design is more in keeping with out-and-out racing yachts like TP52s and mini maxis than luxury cruiser-racers’. All exterior photos: Gilles Martin-Raget

The team that collaborated to make it possible is impressive: lines from Mark Mills, structural engineering by Pure Engineering, MYT project management, construction at race yacht specialists Persico Marine and styling by Pininfarina.

Marcello Persico explained that after 15 years of building top end race yachts, including five America’s Cup campaigns, this is the first cruising boat his team has built: “It required 30,000 hours for the interior and 100,000 hours structural (composite) work!”

Raceboat inspiration

The Wallycento box rule creates light displacement superyachts with powerful sail plans and planing hulls. I have had the privilege of sailing aboard two of the previous three Centos, Magic Carpet3 and Galateia , yet Tango still stands out one of the most awe-inspiring yachts of any size I’ve ever sailed or seen.

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The design is more in keeping with out-and-out racing yachts like TP52s and mini maxis than luxury cruiser-racers. For those unfamiliar with the Irish designer Mark Mills, Tango ’s lines instantly give you a glimpse into his racing pedigree. They are smooth, bucking the trend for hard chines or twin rudders. “There’s a time and a place for twin rudders and most inshore boats don’t qualify,” said Mills as he introduced me to his largest design to date.

It was the success of Mills’s 72ft Alegre , which has an innovative sloped or ‘ramp’ deck that inspired Wally founder Luca Bassani to recommend Mills for the Tango project. “Wally has constantly blended form and function to improve the sailing experience,” said Bassani, adding that for Tango in particular this involves, “the cutting-edge deck layout that combines our flush-deck with bulwark, introduced in 2006 with Esense , with the ramp deck of Alegre .”

A seamless deck from transom to bow makes a telling difference when you consider the sheer size of the sails that need to be carried up to the foredeck.

The ultra clean deck and pit area

If the headroom is not required below, it’s a potential game changer. “Structurally a ramp deck is a big improvement [for a lighter, stiffer yacht] and crew work improvement is unparalleled,” said Mills. “The ability to haul sails up or across the deck without interruption is very cool – and it’s aesthetically unique.”

Time to Tango

The huge square-top mainsail emblazoned with a red rose was hoisted (… and hoisted) until it reached the mast top, which towers 47m above sea level. Following my gaze aloft Mills remarked: “The request was for the most aggressive Southern Spars rig yet.”

Again, it’s the functionality of this rig that really stands out. This is the first time a Cento’s mast step can be adjusted under load – no small consideration given that there is up to 34 tonnes of compression at its base. The mast step has a rounded base, made from a special alloy with low-friction material. A jack inside the mast controls vertical lift, while a ram can move the base fore or aft.

Mills was very keen to capitalise on a class rule change that no longer penalises mast rake adjustment. “We wanted to bring race boat practice to the Cento,” he explained. “We actively change rig rake in the TP52s to get the best rudder angle.”

To compensate for the rake of the rig (“which is unprecedented at this size”), Mills designed a trench in the pushpit area. “We wanted to make sure the tack of the jib is always at its lowest – it’s as you would find on a [mini maxi] 72”.

Typically, the larger a yacht becomes, the more disconnected the helm can feel. Tango ’s owner was very keen that the helm retained the feel of a smaller performance yacht. Two cogs inside the wheel pedestals therefore act as a gear change to make Tango ’s steering feel lighter or stiffer, according to the conditions.

The silver grilles set into the transom resemble afterburners, but conceal liferafts for easy launching

“We had the boat heeled at 25° in 25 knots of wind in Saint Tropez, but the owner could still steer with one finger,” said Carlo Torre, director of the project management company MYT responsible for the build.

The rake of the rudder can also be adjusted half a degree fore or aft via a button at the pedestal and the quadrant is mounted on the deckhead in the lazarette, below the helm pedestals, to minimise the linkage.

It was perhaps asking too much to feel anything from the rudder blade in the five knots of breeze I had when helming. However, the 640m2 of upwind sail area is certainly enough to convince Tango ’s nimble 17-tonne hull to heel in the lightest of airs. And it is a remarkable feeling to stand with one foot on the angled deck or substantial bulwark and have all that power at your command.

Pininfarina drew deck details such as the steering pedestals

We still matched or exceeded the 4–7 knots true wind speed for most of the sail. Wallys are typically used for inshore racing and short-term cruising in the Mediterranean , so the ability of Tango to sail – and for the helmsman be able to feel and appreciate the experience – in the lightest of breezes when most other yachts of this size wouldn’t even hoist canvas, is a potent one.

Sailing for scientists

The helm and trimming areas are kept particularly tidy and compact, and the deck is Wally-clean. Even the gennaker sheets are run through the bulwarks. There are only six winches (more comparable to a Farr 40, as one crewmember pointed out), to help minimise weight and long hydraulic runs.

By ensuring all winches are mounted at the same height on deck and that each has a crossover base, every line can lead to every winch. They are the latest three-speed Harken models with an exceptionally powerful first gear, capable of pulling 900kg – which means a jib can be hoisted in one gear in just 7.5 seconds!

The deck layout facilitates crew communication. The mainsail trimmer sits directly forward of the helmsman with remote push button controls to hand, the jib trimmer only another couple of metres further forward.

The mainsheet and runners are adjusted via huge MagicTrim rams below decks. The B&G readouts in the ultra-shallow pit don’t show the usual windspeed and direction figures, but rather heel angle, rudder angle, forestay load and port/starboard run times. Hydraulic rams allow for exact tack loads to be set. It’s sailing for scientists.

Wallys have always been known for their ease of use for cruising with minimum crew though – even the Centos. Which is why there are rams and remote controls for most functions and a self-tacking jib track (even if Tango has transverse clew tracks for racing too).

Stability and trim

“We asked Mark Mills for a slightly forward trimmed yacht, because from past experiences we knew how easy it is to trim a boat aft when needed, but how it’s almost impossible to move the trim forward in light wind, when these big hulls have more drag,” explained Carlo Torre.

The water tanks are located aft so that, before racing in heavy wind, water can be added to bring the trim aft and increase stability. “To be competitive now you need to be agile in windward/leeward racing so central weight is needed,” added Torre.

The centralisation of interior weight is another weapon in the armoury for Tango’s assault on the Wallycento class. “The centralisation of the interior layout has a knock-on positive effect for the centralisation of winches, systems, hydraulic hoses, everything else,” Mills declared, “leading to a boat that’s not only lighter but better centralised weight wise than any other Cento.”

Glistening hull and slippery lines: Tango is designed with forward trim so weight can be added aft in more wind

The engine room and powerplant below decks are as close as possible to the cockpit winch package, keeping cabling, tubing and power loss to a minimum.

The experienced team behind Tango knew that to improve on what had been done previously with Galateia , it would need a fresh approach, a configuration change even. “It required an owner who would let people do things for an improvement,” said Torre.

Every gram the project team could save on the interior, they could add lower down as ballast. Centralising weight and reducing it wherever possible in the hull so it can be used in the keel instead. “This means more energy going into making the boat go forwards rather than just going up and down in waves,” said Mills.

The forward sliding hatch has a watertight pneumatic seal. All interior photos: Toni Meneguzzo

The keel trunk alone is 370kg lighter than Magic Carpet3 , said Torre. “For the same displacement we have the heaviest bulb. We are lighter than Galateia by 900kg, but with more lead in the keel.” Such savings could prove significant – there is reportedly a 1.5 tonne difference in displacement between these three boats, excluding masts and keels.

Start with the engineering

This strict weight plan made the interior design more challenging. “It was a boat that started without a layout, but instead with the engineering,” Torre pointed out, as he guided me around the interior. “We wanted to have the most efficient structural layout, and suggested to Mills and Pure Engineering to define the structures with the only constraint of having the engine room just aft of the keel.”

The result is that, as you descend the magnificent, wide, curved companionway, you enter the after part of the accommodation, which contains the saloon. The cabins and galley all surround a central machinery space – as do the heads, to minimise plumbing runs.

The aft saloon, with its showcase suspended steps, features a long table to port and a large sofa to starboard. The navstation adjoins the forward end of the sofa

Panels and doors are built of Airex foam to keep them super-light. The compact galley, built and finished in titanium and carbon, even uses a gyro on the induction stove to save the need for stabilising weights.

Despite this scrupulous attention to weight, Tango ’s interior still has the elegant feel of an Italian-styled superyacht, with the design aiming to complement the structural lightness. The stark contrast of black carbon and white leather with scarlet red details (such as the stitching on the sofas) sets off a modern, sporty theme.

Fluid horizontal lines, most notable in the suspended steps, are used throughout the interior to give an impression of seamless surfaces. Mills explained that 1.9m is the minimum headroom requirement of the Cento box rule and that they designed all of the interior to within 10mm of that limit, admitting “we probably went too tight on the tolerances!”

The sharp Italian styling continues down below. The layout surrounds a central machinery space

The reverse sheer means headroom tapers away towards the transom, but from the companionway aft the area is given over to one vast lazarette space.

The owner’s cabin in the forward section of the accommodation has a double berth each side and an en-suite with walk-in shower compartment. There is a generous space between berths to house and shift sails below the enormous sliding foredeck hatch.

The captain uses the guest double cabin to port, complete with another luxurious walk-in shower, while the permanent crew have a Pullman to starboard. The downside to designing an interior around centralised weight and machinery is that it creates an unusual layout, with a corridor effect through the central and forward accommodation.

This, combined with low deckheads, makes the space feel compact for its length. If the boat is used for cruising it would perhaps make more sense in privacy terms for the owner to use the aft port cabin, which adjoins the saloon.

To discover a yacht that is so aesthetically on the money inside and out is perhaps not surprising when it carries the Wally logo. But to find one where the design and engineering has been pushed so hard towards performance, while somehow maintaining enough of Wally’s DNA as well as the capacity for shorthanded daysailing, is another thing altogether.

Tango is proof that a dual-purpose, high-performance superyacht remains as attractive and exciting today as it has for Wally designs over the past 25 years. It helps explain why these yachts continue to be so popular and why the brand regularly attracts 20-strong fleets at Mediterranean regattas.

The pretty red rose on Tango ’s transom is also a nice touch. The advanced raceboat design, technology and engineering poured into this latest Cento could mean that her competitors will need to get used to a good view of that aspect of the boat.

Specification

LOA: 30.48m (100ft) Beam: 7.20m (23ft 7in) Draught: 4.4m-6.2m (14ft 5in-20ft 4in) Displacement (light): 47,500kg/104,720lb Upwind sail area: 640m2/6,889ft2 Downwind sail area: 1,398m2/15,048ft2

First published in the April 2018 issue of SuperSail World.

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$90 Million Yacht of Sanctioned Russian Oligarch Viktor Vekselberg Seized by Spain at Request of United States

Note:  Footage of the seizure is available  here . View the statement from the Attorney General on today's seizure  here .

Spanish law enforcement today executed a Spanish court order freezing the Motor Yacht (M/Y) Tango (the Tango), a 255-foot luxury yacht owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Spanish authorities acted pursuant to a request from the U.S. Department of Justice for assistance following the issuance of a seizure warrant, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which alleged that the Tango was subject to forfeiture based on violation of U.S. bank fraud, money laundering, and sanction statutes. Separately, seizure warrants obtained in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia target approximately $625,000 associated with sanctioned parties held at nine U.S. financial institutions. Those seizures are based on sanctions violations by several Russian specially designated nationals.

According to documents filed in this case, the U.S. investigation alleges that Vekselberg bought the Tango in 2011 and has owned it continuously since that time. It further alleges that Vekselberg used shell companies to obfuscate his interest in the Tango to avoid bank oversight into U.S. dollar transactions related thereto. Additionally, after Vekselberg was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department on April 6, 2018, the warrant alleges that Vekselberg and those working on his behalf continued to make U.S. dollar payments through U.S. banks for the support and maintenance of the Tango and its owners, including a payment for a December 2020 stay at a luxury water villa resort in the Maldives and mooring fees for the yacht. Vekselberg had an interest in these payments and therefore a license was required from the Treasury Department, which was not obtained.

“Today marks our taskforce’s first seizure of an asset belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian regime. It will not be the last,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war.”

“Today’s action makes clear that corrupt Russian oligarchs cannot evade sanctions to live a life of luxury as innocent Ukrainians are suffering,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today the Department of Justice delivers on our commitment to hold accountable those whose criminal activity strengthens the Russian government as it continues to wage its unjust war in Ukraine. That commitment is one we are not finished honoring.”

“Today we announce another example of the FBI using our worldwide presence and partnerships, as well as our expertise and experience, to track and seize illicit money and assets, to counter threats to our safety and national security,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to use every lawful tool to go after designated Russian oligarchs' assets – however and wherever they hide them.”

The seizure was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2 and run out of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will leverage all the Department’s tools and authorities against efforts to evade or undermine the economic actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.

“The seizure of this luxury yacht demonstrates our determination to hold accountable those who support Vladimir Putin’s unwarranted invasion of another sovereign nation,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We will continue to use every tool to enforce the sanctions aimed at Putin’s regime and the oligarchs who support it.  Working with our federal and international partners, we will be unflagging in our efforts to bring to justice those who violate these sanctions, and to seize assets where appropriate and lawful.”

“Today’s seizure of Viktor Vekselberg’s yacht, the Tango, in Spain is the result of an unprecedented multinational effort to enforce U.S. sanctions targeting those elites who have enabled Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine,” said Director Andrew Adams of Task Force KleptoCapture. “For those who have tied their fortunes to a brutal and lawless regime, today’s action is a message that those nations dedicated to the rule of law are equally dedicated to separating the oligarchs from their tainted luxuries. This seizure is only the beginning of the Task Force’s work in this global effort to punish those who have and continue to support tyranny for financial gain.”

“The FBI will continue to work with its partners to protect the integrity of the banking system and support the enforcement of sanctions programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael F. Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. “FBI agents and analysts, regardless of where they are assigned around the world, will work tirelessly to ensure those who attempt to evade sanctions are held accountable.”

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine was an unprovoked act of aggression that has targeted the lives and well-being of millions of people and threatened international security,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York.  “For decades, the Putin regime has been supported by a group of Russian oligarchs that abused their power for private gain to amass untold riches. As DHS’s investigative arm, HSI stands at the forefront of combatting global networks that seek to violate U.S. law and exploit our nation’s financial systems.  Working with our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI, we will hold Putin’s oligarchs accountable and deny them the lavish lifestyles they cherish.”

Upon receipt of a request from the United States pursuant to a bi-lateral treaty for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, the Spanish central authority for mutual legal assistance forwarded the request to a Spanish prosecutor, who obtained a freezing order from a Spanish court. The order was executed by Spain’s Guardia Civil on April 4.

The Tango, International Maritime Organization number 1010703, is believed to be worth approximately $90 million or more. The yacht is now in Mallorca.

The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

The matter of the Tango is being investigated by the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office with assistance from the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Madrid and the HSI New York Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia and Paralegal Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick for the District of Columbia are handling the seizure. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in working with the Spanish authorities, as well as the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS).

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Watch CBS News

U.S. seizes mega yacht owned by oligarch who's close to Putin

By Robert Legare

Updated on: April 5, 2022 / 9:24 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington  — American and Spanish law enforcement agents took control of the mega yacht Tango anchored in the luxurious Spanish island of Palma de Mallorca on Monday after the U.S. Justice Department obtained a warrant for the $90-million vessel's seizure.

The warrant and subsequent raid targeted Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, who was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2018 and again last month following Russia's deadly invasion of Ukraine. The financial penalties blocked the billionaire from participating in the U.S. economy and prevented him from utilizing American banks to conduct business transactions. 

According to the Justice Department's warrant , dating as far back as 2011, Vekselberg and other unnamed conspirators attempted to avoid detection in the U.S. by paying for the yacht through shell companies and other money laundering techniques. 

"Vekselberg and those acting on his behalf and for his benefit caused U.S. dollar transactions for the Tango to be sent through U.S. financial institutions, after a time which Vekselberg was designated by the Treasury Department," the warrant unsealed Monday alleges.

The Tango, designed and built exclusively for the oligarch, who has an estimated net worth of $6 billion, had been sent to Spain for repair. Investigators say the Spanish government then alerted the Justice Department to its whereabouts on March 13. 

Prosecutors in Spain obtained a "freezing" order on the vessel, paving the way for FBI and other American law enforcement agents to seize the ship. 

Monday's operation was part of the Justice Department's new Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement group aimed at holding sanctioned Russian elites accountable, as Russia continues its aggressive invasion of Ukraine. 

"Today marks our task force's first seizure of an asset belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian regime. It will not be the last," Attorney General Merrick Garland said Monday. "Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war."

The Associated Press noted 64-year-old Vekselberg, who was born in Ukraine, has long had ties to the U.S., including a green card he once held and homes in New York and Connecticut. He's the main owner of the Renova Group, a global conglomerate he founded 30 years ago which is based in Moscow with major assets in mining, technology and utilities. He has stakes in several technology companies and in Rusal, Russia's biggest aluminum producer.

Vekselberg and his cousin, Andrew Intrater, were investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller after the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels released a memo that claimed $500,000 in hush money was routed through Columbus Nova, an investment company run by Intrater and reportedly affiliated with Renova , to a shell company set up by former President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, according to the Associated Press. Columbus Nova denied that Vekselberg, who was Intrater's biggest investor, played any role in its payments to Cohen. Vekselberg and Intrater met with Cohen at Trump Tower, one of several meetings between members of Trump's inner circle and high-level Russians during the 2016 campaign and transition. Mueller did not mention Vekselberg or Intrater in his final report.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that neither Vekselberg nor Intrater were mentioned in special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, as well as to note some of Vekselberg's other holdings.  

Robert Legare is a CBS News multiplatform reporter and producer covering the Justice Department, federal courts and investigations. He was previously an associate producer for the "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell."

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US seizes first oligarch yacht in Spain as Russia's elite continue to face sanctions

• Tuesday 5 April 2022 at 3:01pm

The US has seized a 254-foot yacht in Spain owned by an oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It is the first Russian super yacht to be seized by Joe Biden's administration as the West continues to target the pricey assets of the country's elites in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Spain's Civil Guard and US FBI agents descended on the yacht, named Tango and owned by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, docked at the Marina Real in the port of Palma de Mallorca on Monday.

The US Justice Department, which obtained a warrant from a federal judge in Washington, alleges the yacht should be forfeited for violating US bank fraud, money laundering and sanctions statutes.

It came just days after the UK seized its first super yacht , owned by a Russian businessman, in east London as further sanctions on oligarchs take hold.

Superyachtfan.com, a specialised website that tracks the world’s largest and most exclusive recreational boats, values the 78-meter Tango vessel at $120 million (around £91.5 million).

The yacht sails under the Cook Islands flag and is owned by a company registered in the British Virgin Islands administered by different societies in Panama, the Civil Guard said, “following a complicated financial and societal web to conceal its truthful ownership.”

Agents confiscated documents and computers inside the yacht that will be analysed to confirm the real identity of the owner, it said.

The yacht is among the assets linked to 64-year-old Vekselberg, a close Putin ally who heads the Moscow-based Renova Group, a conglomerate encompassing metals, mining, tech and other assets, according to US Treasury Department documents.

The Ukrainian-born businessman built his fortune by investing in the aluminium and oil industries in the post-Soviet era and the Renova group holds the largest stake in United Co. Rusal, Russia’s biggest aluminium producer.

All of Vekselberg’s assets in the United States are frozen and American companies are barred from doing business with him and his entities.

Vekselberg was first sanctioned by the US in 2018, and again in March of this year, shortly after the invasion of Ukraine began. Vekselberg has also been sanctioned by authorities in the United Kingdom.

Prosecutors allege Vekselberg bought the Tango in 2011 and has owned it since then, though they believe he has used shell companies to try to obfuscate his ownership and to avoid financial oversight.

They contend Vekselberg and those working for him continued to make payments using US banks to support and maintain the yacht, even after sanctions were imposed on him in 2018.

Those payments included a stay in December 2020 at a luxury water villa resort in the Maldives and fees to moor the yacht.

It's the first US seizure of an oligarch’s yacht since Attorney General Merrick Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen assembled a task force known as REPO — short for Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs — as an effort to enforce sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

"It will not be the last,” Garland said in a statement.

“Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war.”

Vekselberg has long had ties to the US, including a green card he once held and homes in New York and Connecticut. He was also questioned in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and has worked closely with his American cousin, Andrew Intrater, who heads the New York investment management firm Columbus Nova.

Vekselberg and Intrater were thrust into the spotlight in that investigation after the lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels released a memo that claimed $500,000 in hush money was routed through Columbus Nova to a shell company set up by Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen. Columbus Nova denied that Vekselberg played any role in its payments to Cohen.

The pair met with Cohen at Trump Tower, one of several meetings between members of Trump's inner circle and high-level Russians during Trump's 2016 campaign and the transition before his presidency.

US Seizes Super Yacht ‘Tango' Owned by Oligarch With Close Ties to Putin From Spanish Port

The doj alleges in a warrant the yacht should be forfeited because billionaire viktor vekselberg violated u.s. bank fraud, money laundering and sanctions statutes, by francisco ubilla, aritz parra and michael balsamo • published april 4, 2022.

The U.S. government on Monday seized a 254-foot yacht in Spain owned by an oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a first by the Biden administration under sanctions imposed after the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine and targeting pricey assets of Russian elites.

Spain's Civil Guard and U.S. federal agents descended on the Tango at the Marina Real in the port of Palma de Mallorca, the capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Associated Press reporters at the scene saw police going in and out of the boat.

The U.S. Justice Department, which obtained a warrant from a federal judge in Washington, alleges the yacht should be forfeited for violating U.S. bank fraud, money laundering and sanctions statutes.

Superyachtfan.com , a specialized website that tracks the world’s largest and most exclusive recreational boats, values the 78-meter vessel, which carries the Cook Islands flag, at $120 million.

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‘Under the Counter Diplomacy': Why Sanctioned Oligarch Roman Abramovich Is Brokering Peace in Ukraine

Turkey May Become the New Playground for Russian Oligarchs — But It's a Risky Strategy

The yacht is among the assets linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close Putin ally who heads the Moscow-based Renova Group, a conglomerate encompassing metals, mining, tech and other assets, according to U.S. Treasury Department documents .

All of Vekselberg’s assets in the United States are frozen and American companies are barred from doing business with him and his entities. The Ukrainian-born businessman built his fortune by investing in the aluminum and oil industries in the post-Soviet era.

Prosecutors allege Vekselberg bought the Tango in 2011 and has owned it since then, though they believe he has used shell companies to try to obfuscate his ownership and to avoid financial oversight.

They contend Vekselberg and those working for him continued to make payments using U.S. banks to support and maintain the yacht, even after sanctions were imposed on him in 2018. Those payments included a stay in December 2020 at a luxury water villa resort in the Maldives and fees to moor the yacht.

It's the first U.S. seizure of an oligarch’s yacht since U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen assembled a task force known as REPO — short for Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs — as an effort to enforce sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

"It will not be the last,” Garland said in a statement. “Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war.”

Vekselberg has long had ties to the U.S., including a green card he once held and homes in New York and Connecticut. He was also questioned in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and has worked closely with his American cousin, Andrew Intrater, who heads the New York investment management firm Columbus Nova.

Vekselberg and Intrater were thrust into the spotlight in that investigation after the lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels released a memo that claimed $500,000 in hush money was routed through Columbus Nova to a shell company set up by Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen. Columbus Nova denied that Vekselberg played any role in its payments to Cohen.

Vekselberg and Intrater met with Cohen at Trump Tower, one of several meetings between members of Trump's inner circle and high-level Russians during Trump's 2016 campaign and the transition before his presidency.

The 64-year-old Vekselberg founded Renova Group more than three decades ago. The group holds the largest stake in United Co. Rusal, Russia’s biggest aluminum producer, among other investments.

Vekselberg was first sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018, and again in March of this year, shortly after the invasion of Ukraine began. Vekselberg has also been sanctioned by authorities in the United Kingdom.

The yacht sails under the Cook Islands flag and is owned by a company registered in the British Virgin Islands administered by different societies in Panama, the Civil Guard said, “following a complicated financial and societal web to conceal its truthful ownership.”

Agents confiscated documents and computers inside the yacht that will be analyzed to confirm he real identity of the owner, it said.

The U.S. Justice Department has also launched a sanctions enforcement task force known as KleptoCapture, which also aims to enforce financial restrictions in the U.S. imposed on Russia and its billionaires, working with the FBI, the U.S. Treasury and other federal agencies. That task force will also target financial institutions and entities that have helped oligarchs move money to dodge sanctions.

The White House has said that many allied countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and others are involved in trying to collect and share information against Russians targeted for sanctions. In his State of the Union address on March 1, President Joe Biden warned oligarchs that the U.S. and European allies would “find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets.”

“We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” he said.

Monday's capture is not the first time Spanish authorities have been involved in the seizure of a Russian oligarch’s superyacht. Officials said they had seized a vessel valued at over $140 million owned by the CEO of a state-owned defense conglomerate and a close Putin ally.

French authorities have seized superyachts, including one believed to belong to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, which has been on the U.S. sanctions list since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

Italy has seized several yachts and other assets.

Italian financial police moved quickly seizing the superyacht Lena belonging to Gennady Timchenko, an oligarch close to Putin, in the port of San Remo; the 65-meter (215-foot) Lady M owned by Alexei Mordashov in nearby Imperia, featuring six suites and estimated to be worth 65 million euros; as well as villas in Tuscany and Como, according to government officials.

Parra reported from Madrid and Balsamo reported from Washington.

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Tango: On Board the 30 Metre Wallycento Sailing Yacht

Each addition to the Wallycento fleet takes technology and design to the next level, and poses a new threat to regatta rivals. Raphael Montigneaux admires the moves and turns of Tango, the latest contender...

The Yacht Club de Monaco magnetises the attention: this Norman Foster -designed, boat-inspired marvel (complete with towering masts) leaves most superyachts that line its dock literally and metaphorically in the shade. It’s a special 30 metre sailing boat, then, that can pry admiring stares away from both the club and the massive white motor yachts that sit alongside her.

But then Tango , the latest hull in the Wallycento series, is rather unusual. She has a striking black carbon hull and rig, and a flush teak deck that seems to stretch far beyond her true length. She is the second Wally for a repeat client, and the fourth Wallycento , but it’s immediately clear that she differs from her siblings, thanks to her unique design team: Pininfarina for the interior, and Mills Design for the naval architecture and exterior design, which was developed in collaboration with Wally.

From outside, the flush deck of  Tango  is both stylish and regatta-friendly. “ Tango’s  unusual reverse sheerline combines with our ramp deck geometry to allow a smooth unbroken line, running from bow to the stern,” explains naval architect Mark Mills.

“Since the first meetings, we shared the same vision of the innovations that can be applied to this type of yacht, like the cutting-edge deck layout that combines our flush deck with bulwarks aft, as introduced in 2006 with  Esense , with the ramp deck of  Alegre ,” says Bassani.

This feeling is reinforced by the fact that  Tango  has no cockpit, in the style of the first classic yachts. But a large removable table can be installed with chairs and a bimini, creating a comfortable area when the yacht is moored up at anchor or in port. Even though  Tango  follows the same box rule as other Wallycentos, there is no doubt that the latest edits are improvements. Mills Design brought new ideas to the shape of the hull, the rig, the layout of the deck equipment and the all-important weight reduction.

“The most obvious development has been rearrangement of the interior layout to produce practical improvements without harming the value of the interior,” says Mills. “By centralising the engine and systems machinery, we were able to co-opt a lot of the keel and mast structure to support these; and place them beside the keel and mast and under the winches to reduce plumbing and wiring.” Centralising machinery also reduced the inertia of the pitching movements, conserving energy and improving performance. They considered hull stiffness too. “We worked with Pure Engineering, whose sophisticated structure used some of the most advanced carbon and core options available,” says Mills.

Leaving Port Hercules for a sea trial between  Monaco  and Cap Ferrat, conditions are light, with only six knots of true wind – but it is enough to get a glimpse of the potential of this cruiser-racer. In a few seconds, the new 3Di sails from North Sails are up, creating a cathedral of carbon. “The deck hardware is powerful and fast: it takes only seven seconds to hoist the jib!” says Wally founder  Luca Bassani .

This technical wizardry, which the owner describes as “the most advanced technologies in construction, systems, rig and sail handling”, were vital to the brief. After all, he was attracted to the Wallycento in the first place because “I never sailed at 25 knots and always wanted to know what it’d feel like”.

The 45 metre Southern Spars carbon mast offers a total sailplan of 640 square metres upwind, and the boat easily reaches seven knots. “ Tango  is lively and reactive in light air,” says Bassani. “The feeling at the helm is that of a much smaller boat, balanced and quick.” And a fast turn at the helm proves his point –  Tango  feels like she’s running on rails and reacts immediately with only one finger on the wheel.

Inside,  Tango  has an automotive essence. Persico Marine, which built the boat, has had a long relationship with Pininfarina through its sister company Persico Automotive. “Pininfarina was the ideal fit to develop sporty interiors matching the superyacht personality,” says Bassani. “ Tango’s  visionary owner agreed right away to integrate the renowned Italian design brand in  Tango’s  team. From its inception Wally has been open about involving new players in the development of projects.”

Not only was this Wally’s first collaboration with Pininfarina, but the firm was given a free hand, with no details from other Wallycentos carried forward except for the Konstantin Grcic steering wheels. These feature tapering spokes and what industrial designer Grcic describes as “a very rational, even edgy design, which clearly expresses the dynamic forces of steering such a maxi yacht”.

The design approach follows the theme of the cockpit-less deck, with staircase-less steps down to the saloon. Floating treads, their ends angled not unlike spoilers on a Formula One car or wavelets on an otherwise smooth sea, are suspended from the saloon’s aft bulkhead. The ends of two of the steps stretch out along the saloon walls forming shelves. Bassani enthusiastically describes the steps as well as the entire approach to the interior as “cool”, while Paolo Pininfarina, chairman of the company, notes that “to be innovative in a dream team of innovators” was a challenge.

The minimalist interior needed to be super-light and still offer comfortable accommodation for six guests in three cabins. “Thanks to the selection of materials and the innovative solutions of the interior decoration, delivering both function and aesthetics, we generated an ultra-light and super-performing yacht, perfectly suitable for cruising as well as for racing,” says Pininfarina. Key materials used include carbon fibre, wood and leather, creating a sporty atmosphere, reinforced by red accents in the furniture and red automotive-style seams on the upholstery. All of the accommodation is situated forward, including the master suite with double beds on either side. This area can be neatly converted into a sail storage room when the yacht is set up for regatta racing, since a giant skylight hatch gives direct access from the foredeck.

The choice of builder was vital to making this design work. Bergamo-based  Persico Marine  is known mainly for its racing boats and was founded on building lightweight moulded components, beginning with the shells and keels of the 1992 Italian America’s Cup entry Il Moro di Venezia. It has worked on some of the most demanding and gruelling yacht classes from TP52s and Mini-maxis to Volvo 65s and other America’s Cup challengers. “A large part of the carbon pieces for  Tango  were produced in Bergamo and moved to Savona by road,” says CEO Marcello Persico. Eight tonnes of composite were used and Persico reveals that the yard has decided to buy a new facility in Carrara for future Wally projects, such as the Wally 145 – scheduled for launch in 2019. This new shipyard is dedicated to superyachts, while all the racing projects will remain in Bergamo.

As for  Tango , her owner’s verdict is that she’s “sleek, quick, beautiful looking – and comfortable to cruise”. After extensive sea trials, she was ready just a few days before her debut in Monaco. She was in the Principality for only a couple of days, and she left quickly for extra training with the crew in preparation for her first official regatta, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, where she joined up with 14 other Wallys, including the three other Wallycentos,  Open Season ,  Magic Carpet3  and  Galateia .

In her regatta configuration,  Tango  has a crew of 24, and it seems that those extra days spent training and tuning the yacht were well used, since she won her first race in Saint-Tropez.  Tango  is a thing of beauty – but she’s also fast enough that you’ll be lucky to catch a glimpse.

The article was originally published in the June 2018 issue of Boat International.

Images: Carlo Borlenghi; Gilles Martin-Raget; Toni Meneguzzo

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U.S. Eyes $156 Million Yacht in Dubai Linked to a Russian Oligarch

The U.S. Justice Department is taking steps to seize the Madame Gu, a 324-foot luxury yacht, but it will be diplomatically thorny.

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By Kate Kelly ,  Michael Forsythe and Julian E. Barnes

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On a clear morning in late October, the jewel-blue hull of the Madame Gu, one of the world’s most luxurious superyachts, gleamed, its aluminum rails shimmering in the sun. Workers on the pier said they had recently seen people painting, cleaning and generally keeping the ship with its helipad and six guest staterooms in pristine condition.

In past years, such a scene would not have been noteworthy. Many superyachts come and go from Dubai’s Mina Rashid Marina, best known as the home of the Queen Elizabeth 2, the trans-Atlantic ocean liner-turned-hotel that dominates the waterfront here.

But Russia’s war in Ukraine has turned an otherwise routine tableau into a diplomatic battleground between the United States and the United Arab Emirates, an important American ally that has established itself as a safe haven for Russian money and assets out of the reach of U.S. sanctions.

The $156 million Madame Gu epitomizes the problem. In June, the United States designated the vessel, which is linked to Andrei Skoch, a Russian steel magnate and lawmaker under sanctions, as blocked property. That means the yacht cannot use American companies for its upkeep, employ U.S. citizens or even use the dollar. The Justice Department is now taking steps to seize the Madame Gu, according to people with knowledge of the plan.

But the United States can’t seize property in a sovereign nation without permission from its government. The Emirates, which has taken a friendlier position toward Moscow, is balking at cooperating with the United States to pursue oligarchs, American officials said. The Kremlin is also using oligarch-controlled companies in the Emirates to acquire war supplies that the West is trying to keep out of Russia’s reach, according to a Western official involved in the sanctions effort against Russia.

Emirati officials did not comment specifically on the Madame Gu but said in a statement that they took their role “protecting the integrity of the global financial system extremely seriously.”

A closer examination of Russian assets in the Emirates shows that even before the war in Ukraine, Dubai had become a playground for Russians with links to President Vladimir V. Putin. At least 38 businessmen or officials with ties to the Russian president own homes in Dubai that are collectively valued at more than $314 million, according to the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. Five of those owners are under U.S. sanctions.

Since the Russian invasion, Dubai has established itself as a safe haven for Russian yachts and aircraft unable to sail or fly elsewhere. After Russian jets were barred from the European Union in late February, the Emirates became the destination for 14 percent of all private flights leaving Russia, up from 3 percent before the invasion.

“It’s frustrating when you see huge assets that are sitting out there and it appears that the country is not cooperating,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, referring to the Emirates. “It would be nice if there were more common cause against Putin while he’s busy shelling hospitals and schools.”

Mr. Whitehouse is sponsoring legislation that would use proceeds of the sales of seized Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine. Senior officials at the Treasury and State Departments have also complained publicly about the situation.

U.S. officials view the presence of superyachts in places like Dubai and Bodrum, Turkey , as a symptom of wider Russian circumvention of sanctions and continued access to financial markets. Yachts have also come to symbolize the decadence of Russia’s oligarchs, especially at a time when Russian soldiers are scrounging for body armor and sleeping bags on the front lines.

Pursuing the Madame Gu

Built by the Dutch firm Feadship and put into service in 2013, the Madame Gu has a large helicopter pad on its forecastle with a hangar underneath that can double as a squash court when the chopper isn’t on board. The vessel has berthing for 36 crew members, according to one trade magazine.

Mr. Skoch, a member of Russia’s Parliament who is linked to assets worth billions of dollars, according to U.S. court filings, has had sanctions imposed on him twice by the United States, first in 2018 and then after Russia’s invasion this year. The Treasury Department has cited his “longstanding ties to Russian organized criminal groups.”

Mr. Skoch could not be reached and did not respond to messages left at his office at Parliament.

In an interview in October about the government’s broader efforts to go after the assets of oligarchs, Andrew Adams, a federal prosecutor leading the Department of Justice’s KleptoCapture task force, declined to discuss the Madame Gu. But the United States, he said, is warning companies they must not do business with individuals and assets under sanctions. The government, he said, will pursue oligarch-owned assets whose sale could be used to aid Ukraine.

“Where we know there is an asset that can potentially provide significant remuneration for Ukraine, that obviously is an attractive case to pursue,” he said.

U.S. officials are likely to use the case they made for impounding a $90 million Airbus business jet linked to Mr. Skoch in August as a blueprint for seizing the Madame Gu, said people familiar with the plan.

That means investigators will aim to show that the owner of the vessel, or the companies that have been providing services to it, have intersected with the U.S. financial system.

“If there are U.S. dollars or a U.S. nexus associated with supporting this vessel, massive enforcement actions could take place,” said Adam M. Smith, a former official overseeing sanctions at the Treasury Department. Companies that provide support to entities under sanctions could potentially face their own sanctions, said Mr. Smith, who is now a lawyer at Gibson Dunn in Washington.

This year the United States has carried out two high-profile seizures of yachts tied to Russians under sanctions, working with cooperative governments. The $300 million Amadea was taken in Fiji in May and sailed to San Diego under an American flag. In April, the United States worked with Spanish police to seize the $90 million Tango.

A Problematic Partner

Diplomatically, the Emirates has been reluctant to take a clear anti-Russian position when it comes to the war in Ukraine. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, recently met with Mr. Putin in St. Petersburg, and the Emirati foreign minister recently hosted his Russian counterpart. Yet Sheikh Mohammed has also talked with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, more than once and recently gave the country $100 million in humanitarian aid.

The United States has publicly expressed dismay over the mixed messages.

During a visit to Dubai in June, Wally Adeyemo, the U.S. deputy treasury secretary, warned of the need for vigilance and proactive steps in combating Russian evasion. That same month Barbara Leaf, the State Department’s under secretary for Near East Affairs, said at a congressional hearing that regarding the Emirates, she was “not happy at all with the record at this point” on sanctions enforcement. Mr. Adeyemo reiterated his concerns in a meeting with Emirati officials in October in Washington.

A senior State Department official said in a statement to The New York Times that the agency continues “to reinforce the importance of conducting enhanced due diligence to prevent sanctions evasion and investigating allegations of such activity” to the Emirates.

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the Madame Gu or the relationship with the Emirates.

Last month, the Treasury Department announced it had placed sanctions on an Emirates-based company, Constellation Advisors Ltd., that the American government said was operating on behalf of a nephew of another Russian oligarch, Suleiman Kerimov. Mr. Kerimov, according to American court documents, was the owner of the Amadea superyacht .

American officials are also worried the Russian government is using the Emirates to acquire military supplies for its war in Ukraine. On Nov. 15, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Emirates-based transportation firms that had worked with another Iranian firm under sanctions, which in turn had helped transport drones and personnel from Iran to Russia.

Moored in Dubai

Based on a recent visit to Dubai’s Mina Rashid Marina , where the Madame Gu is moored, it is clear that international companies are playing a critical role in its care.

The Emirates-based company DP World, through its subsidiary P&O Marinas , oversees the pier where the Madame Gu is moored. Employees from another DP World subsidiary , World Security, staff the small guard box at the entrance. That makes DP World, which is owned by Dubai’s royal family, potentially vulnerable to American sanctions.

DP World “fully complies with all applicable local and national laws and intends to continue doing the same regarding the Madame Gu and other vessels utilizing our services,” said Adal Mirza, a spokesman for the company. He added that DP World had not yet heard from the United States or other countries that had placed Mr. Skoch under sanctions, including Britain and the European Union.

A generator set that dock workers said in late October was powering the Madame Gu — two container-like structures near its stern — bore the distinctive orange logo of Aggreko , a British company. The generator set was connected to the superyacht by thick cords; one of the containers was emitting grayish exhaust.

At the Mina Rashid Marina, soon after Aggreko was contacted by The Times, workers removed the generator. “Having identified that the generator was being used to power a vessel that is allegedly connected to a sanctioned person, we immediately terminated this rental and have since recovered the generator,” the company said in a statement.

Mr. Mirza, the DP World spokesman, said the Aggreko generator had been replaced with one from a local supplier.

P&O Marinas arranged for the diesel generator to provide power for the Madame Gu because that part of the pier, a holding area, has no shore-supplied electric power, said a port official in Dubai, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the press.

“At the end of the day, if the U.A.E. hasn’t imposed sanctions, it’s not really their job to enforce other countries’ laws within their borders,” said Nabeel Yousef, a Washington-based partner at the law firm Freshfields, where he runs the sanctions practice. Nevertheless, “companies should not take comfort in the fact that their country has not imposed sanctions,” he added, “because even the smallest connection to the U.S. can lead to U.S. penalties.”

There has also been a notable absence onboard the Madame Gu in recent weeks: a flag. Unlike other ships moored nearby, including the Quantum Blue, a superyacht linked to the billionaire Sergei Galitsky, the Madame Gu appears to be stateless, apparently having been deflagged by the Cayman Islands.

Cayman Islands officials didn’t respond to an emailed inquiry about the ship’s status.

If DP World were to face fallout from U.S. sanctions enforcers, it wouldn’t be the first time the company has been the focus of attention in Washington. In 2006, DP World was seeking to manage some terminal operations at six American ports but dropped out of the deal after a bipartisan uproar in Congress.

Anton Troianovski contributed reporting from Turin, Italy, and Oleg Matsnev from Berlin.

Kate Kelly covers money, influence, and policy as a correspondent in the Washington bureau of the Times. Before that, she spent twenty years covering Wall Street deals, key players and their intersection with politics. She is the author of three books, including "The Education of Brett Kavanaugh." More about Kate Kelly

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

Julian E. Barnes is a national security reporter based in Washington, covering the intelligence agencies. Before joining The Times in 2018, he wrote about security matters for The Wall Street Journal. More about Julian E. Barnes

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

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Russian missiles streaked into Kyiv  in the biggest assault on the Ukrainian capital in weeks, injuring several people and damaging several buildings.

Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s top national security official, made a secret trip to Kyiv to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and reaffirm the United States’ unwavering commitment to Ukraine.

Under pressure to come up with billions of dollars to support Ukraine’s military, the E.U. said that it had devised a legal way to use frozen Russian assets  to help arm Ukraine.

Symbolism or Strategy?: Ukrainians say that defending places with little strategic value is worth the cost in casualties and weapons , because the attacking Russians pay an even higher price. American officials aren’t so sure.

Elaborate Tales: As the Ukraine war grinds on, the Kremlin has created increasingly complex fabrications online  to discredit Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, and undermine the country’s support in the West.

Targeting Russia’s Oil Industry: With its army short of ammunition and troops to break the deadlock on the battlefield, Kyiv has increasingly taken the fight beyond the Ukrainian border, attacking oil infrastructure deep in Russian territory .

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

The owner of a $3.4 million Lamborghini yacht threatened a private dock employee after being told he couldn't be there, the San Diego-based broadcaster CBS8 reported on March 11.

Joseph Holt, a 21-year-old employee at Marriot Marina in San Diego, told CBS8 that he spotted the yacht sailing into the private dock. The owner, whom CBS8 identified as Ajay Thakore, tried to pick another person up at the dock, Holt said.

"I told him respectfully that he couldn't be there, and I honestly was hoping to have a conversation with him about his cool boat," Holt told CBS8.

In a YouTube video posted by @SM-wc9eq on March 10, a dark blue Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is seen sailing out of a dock. A man in a gray T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and a cap was shown standing on the yacht. The man appeared to be Thakore, per CBS8.

Thakore was shown shouting at Holt. "I will kill you, you know I will kill you!" he can be heard saying multiple times in the video

Thakore was later shown pounding his fist on his palm and pointing his thumb down before telling Holt: "To your face!" Holt was shown responding by pointing his middle finger at Thakore.

"I really was trying to restrain myself from getting fired from my job or stepping out of line. The only thing I did was give him the bird," Holt told CBS8.

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Holt said Thakore then took $100 bills from his wallet and threw them at him. He added that Thakore mooned him. This exchange was not shown in the video.

"He was saying I'm nobody, I'm nothing, I work a silly job. He said that he knows people, he has connections, he can change my life and ruin it," Holt said. Holt did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The San Diego Harbor Police arrived at the marina 10 minutes after Thakore's yacht exited the dock, per CBS8.

The Harbor Police told Business Insider that Holt decided to press charges against Thakore and that they are investigating the incident.

According to Thakore's LinkedIn page , he's the CEO of Doctor Multimedia. The company's website shows that it's a healthcare marketing firm based in San Diego. Thakore appears to go by the name Ace Rogers on Instagram and TikTok, where he's noted as being a professional gambler.

Thakore, through his public relations team, told CBS8 in a statement that his altercation with Holt was "regrettable."

"What started as a minor misunderstanding escalated into an argument, and I apologize for my actions and to those who witnessed the unfortunate exchange," the statement said. Thakore did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Thakore isn't the only CEO who's been called out for threatening another person. In November 2021, an Activision spokesperson told BI that its ex-CEO Bobby Kotick had previously apologized for telling his assistant he would have her killed. The spokesperson added that Kotick's threat was "obviously hyperbolic and inappropriate" and that "he deeply regrets the exaggeration and tone."

In June 2020, Lisa Alexander, the CEO of LaFace Skincare, a cosmetics company, apologized in a statement to the media after she had threatened to call the police on her neighbor for writing "Black Lives Matter" on his property. Alexander said in the apology that she was "disrespectful" and "should have minded my own business."

March 21, 2024: This story has been updated with Harbor Police's comments.

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