BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

French seize superyacht owned by Russia’s ‘Darth Vader’

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

(NewsNation Now) — In the world of the Russian super-rich, not even “true love” is safe. 

That’s true, at least, for Igor Sechin, the CEO of the Russian state oil company Rosneft, who had his super-yacht seized by French authorities.

Sechin was the deputy prime minister of Russia in Vladimir Putin’s cabinet from 2008 to 2012 and is sometimes referred to as “Darth Vader” by Russian media. 

His yacht, Amore Vero — Italian for “true love” — was undergoing repairs at a shipyard in the south of France, and Sechin tried to ensure that it would be able to slip away, weeks ahead of schedule. 

French authorities, however, stepped in and seized it, according to a news release tweeted out by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. 

According to Superyacht Fan, Amore Vero’s price tag is estimated to be $120 million.

The White House released a list of “Putin’s cronies,” and their families — ultrawealthy oligarchs — who will be targeted by the U.S. and other countries for continuing to support President Vladimir Putin “despite his brutal invasion of Ukraine.”

“The United States and governments all over the world will work to identify and freeze the assets Russian elites and their family members hold in our respective jurisdictions — their yachts, luxury apartments, money, and other ill-gotten gains,” the White House announced Thursday.

The Russian elites and their families will be cut off from U.S. financial systems and they will be blocked from using their assets in the United States, including property.

Peter Klein, founder and executive director of Global Reporting Centre, says Putin may not care all that much about wealth. However, the wealthy people who have been protecting Putin are being significantly impacted.

President Joe Biden said in a statement Thursday that these economic sanctions are having a “profound impact already.”

Ashleigh Banfield asks ‘What binds Putin to the oligarchs now? And vice versa?’

Banfield

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241202111905

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Mostly Cloudy

la

59°F Mostly Cloudy Feels like 59°
Wind
0 mph SSE
Humidity
74%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies during the evening. Areas of fog developing after midnight. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
49°F Mostly cloudy skies during the evening. Areas of fog developing after midnight. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph N
Precip
12%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waxing Crescent