The Italian authorities yesterday announced that it has impounded a mega yacht at the centre of a mystery over its ownership as speculation continue to grow that it might even belong to the Russian President, Putin.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that the yacht which is named ‘Scheherazade’ is worth an estimated $700 million. It has been the subject of a probe into its ownership by Italy’s financial police.
Over the last few weeks, the Italian probe has helped ‘establish significant economic and business links between the person who officially possesses the Scheherazade and eminent people in the Russian government,’ as well as Russian figures sanctioned by the West following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Italian Ministry of Economy and finance said in a statement.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that following the probe, ‘the minister of Economy and Finance, Daniele Franco, has signed a decree impounding’ the yacht, the statement added.
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It had been berthed for several months for maintenance work at a shipyard at the Marina di Carrara, within the western seaside town of Massa.
But the yacht was back on the water and seemed about to set sail on Friday, an AFP photographer said before the Italian government.
But the mystery remains unresolved: who does “Scheherazade” belong to? A Russian oligarch? Vladimir Putin?
Built by Germany’s Luerssen in 2020, the 140-metre yacht features two helipads, a swimming pool, and a movie theatre, according to the SuperYachtFan website, which researches yachts and their owners.
Italian police had said they were doing their best to identify the owner.
Researchers at the anti-corruption foundation of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny link the yacht to Putin.
They cited a crew list in their possession that included several members of Russia’s federal protective service, charged with Putin’s security.
