The Office of the Cabinet has rejected claims circulating in connection with a court filing related to the Alfa Nero superyacht, calling them a deliberate and desperate attempt to mislead the public days before the April 30 general election.
In a statement released on April 27, 2026, Secretary to the Cabinet Konata Lee said the filing — made on April 25, 2026 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida — is being promoted by elements aligned with the United Progressive Party (UPP). The Cabinet Office was unequivocal in its assessment of its significance.
"A court filing is not evidence; it is a self-serving statement of allegations that must be tested and proven," Lee stated. "This one has not."
The Florida filing has not been tested, accepted, or adjudicated by the court, the Cabinet Office stressed. It characterised the document as no different in substance from allegations pursued in other jurisdictions that have not succeeded.
The individual advancing the claims, Ms. Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, is the daughter of Andrey Guryev, a Russian oligarch sanctioned by the United States. The Cabinet Office noted she has pursued similar allegations across multiple jurisdictions without success. The Alfa Nero was itself subject to the international sanctions regime arising from Russia's war against Ukraine.
The Cabinet Office also clarified the nature of the Florida proceeding. It is a discovery application involving private parties, including yacht brokers — not a case against the Government of Antigua and Barbuda or its officials. Any characterisation to the contrary, the statement said, is deliberately misleading.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Finance have already provided a full and detailed accounting of the proceeds from the sale of the Alfa Nero. That accounting was submitted to courts in the United States and forms part of the official record.
The Prime Minister has separately initiated legal proceedings against the principal attorney advancing the claims for allegedly false and defamatory statements. The Cabinet Office suggested the latest filing bears the hallmarks of a "fishing expedition" designed to manufacture material in response to those proceedings.
The statement raised pointed concerns about the timing of the filing and its circulation through opposition-aligned channels. "The timing of this filing, on April 25, just days before the April 30 general election, raises serious concerns about an attempt to interfere in the democratic process of Antigua and Barbuda," Lee wrote.
The Cabinet Office described what it called a troubling alignment between domestic political actors and external interests seeking to advance unproven and previously rejected claims, calling such conduct "reckless and contrary to the national interest."
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda stated it rejects the allegations entirely and will continue to defend the integrity of its actions and the reputation of its officials.
"The people of Antigua and Barbuda should see the Guryeva court filing, and the UPP's promotion of it, for what it is: a last-minute attempt to mislead the public, spread falsehoods, and influence the outcome of a democratic election," the statement concluded.
