Russia superyacht symbolises challenge of seizing assets
BBC By Joe Inwood & Rob Byrne
BBC Newsnight and BBC Eye Investigations
A legal battle over who owns a luxury superyacht symbolises the difficulties of seizing Russian assets since the war in Ukraine started.
When BBC reporters investigated the case of the 54m Alfa Nero, it led them to a British firm whose lawful help allows a Russian oligarch to claim that such mega-assets do not really belong to him at all.
This week a court case resumes in Antigua. It was launched by the daughter of Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev to challenge the seizure of the Alfa Nero superyacht.
The island's government wants to sell the vessel and keep the proceeds. It even changed the law ahead of auctioning the yacht off last June.
It was eventually purchased by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt for 54m, but he has now withdrawn his bid amid a flurry of legal challenges, including the one from Mr Guryev's daughter.
She claims she is the sole adult beneficiary of the trust that owns the yacht, rather than her billionaire father.
