Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a forceful rebuttal of an online article circulating on social media in Antigua and Barbuda, dismissing it as false and misleading in its portrayal of the Government's handling of the superyacht Alfa Nero and related litigation in the United States.
The article, published by an entity called National News Brief under the headline 'Antiguan Prime Minister Defamation Lawsuit Against U.S. Law Firm Backfires,' makes claims about the Prime Minister's personal finances and the Government's conduct. Browne rejected those claims outright.
"Let me state the facts clearly," Browne said in his statement.
The Alfa Nero was seized by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda under legislation enacted by Parliament after the vessel was abandoned in local waters following international sanctions imposed on its Russian-linked ownership. The yacht was auctioned in July 2024 for approximately US$40 million. Browne said the proceeds were applied to legitimate government obligations, including debts owed to regional financial institutions. "There is no missing money," he stated.
The Prime Minister also challenged the article's characterisation of ongoing litigation. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in March 2026 in favour of Browne and other Antiguan officials, upholding the quashing of subpoenas that had sought to compel American banks to produce financial records. Browne described that outcome as vindication, not a setback. "That is not a 'backfire' — that is vindication," he said.
Browne also defended his defamation proceedings against law firm Boies Schiller Flexner and attorney Martin De Luca. He said he initiated the legal action after what he described as reckless and false public statements made by foreign lawyers acting on behalf of sanctioned Russian interests — statements he said impugned his integrity and that of his Government. He characterised the lawsuit as a proper and lawful course of action.
Beyond the substance of the article, Browne raised concerns about the manner in which it is being distributed. He noted that links being shared do not go directly to the article but instead pass through a third-party commercial tracking system that records clicks and monitors how widely the content spreads. He said this pattern is inconsistent with how a legitimate news story circulates organically and is instead the hallmark of an organised, paid distribution campaign.
"Someone is deliberately pushing this article to the people of Antigua and Barbuda, and they do not want you to know who that someone is," Browne said.
The Prime Minister said his Government acted in the national interest when it seized and sold the Alfa Nero and that U.S. courts have confirmed its right to do so. He said he would not be distracted by what he called orchestrated disinformation campaigns and would continue to pursue all appropriate legal remedies against those who make false and damaging statements about him and his administration.
