France seizes $120 million super-yacht owned by Russian oligarch
French authorities announced Thursday that they seized a yacht owned by Russian energy oligarch Igor Sechin.
The yacht, Amore Vero, is valued at $120 million.
Sechin was placed on European Union and United States sanctions lists soon after Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday last week. The EU, US, UK and others have sanctioned several high-profile Russian business executives that have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sechin was deputy prime minister of Russia until 2012 and is said to be a close ally of Putin.
The 280-ft Amore Vero has a swimming pool that converts into a helicopter pad, according to Oceanco, its maker. It also has a private owner’s deck and a sun deck with a jacuzzi, Oceanco says.
The EU sanctions “require the detention of the vessel with immediate effect,” the French finance ministry’s press release said.
The seizure of Amore Vero appears to be the second instance of a European authority seizing a Russian oligarch-owned super-yacht since Ukraine sanctions were enacted.
Germany recently seized Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s $600 million super-yacht, Forbes reported Wednesday, citing multiple unnamed sources. Usmanov’s yacht was docked in Hamburg, Germany, for a refit when it was seized, per Forbes.