Italian officials have seized a $600 million superyacht, which is believed to be owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the port of Marina di Carrara. Authorities boarded the 'Scheherazade', elaborating that the vessel is linked to a significant person in the Russian government but didn't disclose the name.
The seizure came as it was believed that the vessel was all set to sail toward Turkey to flee Western sanctions against Russia amid the Ukraine war. The yacht is full of luxurious facilities as it has two helicopter pads, swimming pools, a spa, a sauna, a theatre, ballrooms, a gym, and even a small hospital.
Italian Financial Police Didn't Reveal Name of Owner
Italian Financial Police were investigating the details of the vessel since the end of March. They revealed that there's a significant connection between the ship and a senior element in the Russian government.
'On the basis of these elements it has been recommended that the yacht be placed on the current European Union sanctions list and the Minister of Finance in Rome has agreed,' said the Financial Police, according to the Daily Mail.
The captain of the vessel Bennett-Pearce, who is British, didn't give the name of the owner but denied that Putin is the owner.
The Scheherazade's captain, Briton Guy Bennett-Pearce, has denied Putin is the owner but has refused to reveal who is.
Navalny Claimed That Crew Are Linked to Russia's Secret Services
However, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has claimed that the ship is directly linked to Putin. They have also claimed that the staff at the ship are from the Federal Protection Service, which provides security to Putin.
An independent investigation suggested that all of the crew are linked to Russia's secret services and they had been shifting their locations frequently. Only the captain of the ship is not linked to Russia but Bennett Pierce claimed that the ship is Russian-owned.
According to the official documents, Scheherazade is owned by an offshore company from the Marshall Islands as rich people try to hide their names from owning massive properties. It is also believed that Putin owns massive wealth but in the name of his relatives, friends, and other people close to him.
