The legal tussle surrounding the ownership of the Alfa Nero superyacht, recently having left the shores of Antigua and Barbuda, has escalated into the courtroom. The High Court is now the battleground for two interconnected constitutional cases, which reveal the complexities of international asset disputes.
One case is led by The Flying Dutchman Overseas Limited, asserting its ownership over the vessel. Parallel to this, Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, daughter of sanctioned Russian oligarch Andrey Guryev, has also filed a claim, challenging the seizure and auction of the yacht which had been moored in Antigua since 2022. U.S. authorities have previously pointed to Guryev as the yacht’s original owner, adding layers to the legal contention.
The trial has already seen four witnesses take the stand, including Darwin Telemacque, a Sports Manager, and expert witnesses representing the defendants. The defendants in this high-stakes legal drama are significant governmental entities of Antigua and Barbuda: the Department of Merchant Shipping, the Port Authority, and the Attorney General’s Chambers.
Legal expertise is in full display with two King’s Counsels and Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan preparing to make their submissions later this week. The judicial review initiated by The Flying Dutchman Overseas Limited will also be addressed, aiming to scrutinize administrative decisions pertinent to the yacht’s contentious status.
The High Court has decided to consolidate these constitutional matters, allowing for a more coherent legal examination of the ownership disputes and jurisdictional questions surrounding the Alfa Nero.
As the legal battle unfolds, further updates on the trial’s progress and outcomes are anticipated.
