Prime Minister Gaston Browne has rejected as "false and misleading" claims made in an online article about the Government's handling of the superyacht Alfa Nero, while alleging the story forms part of an organised disinformation campaign targeting Antigua and Barbuda.
The Office of the Prime Minister issued a statement Wednesday in response to an article published by an online entity called National News Brief, headlined "Antiguan Prime Minister Defamation Lawsuit Against U.S. Law Firm Backfires."
Browne said the article contains inaccurate claims about both his personal conduct and the Government's management of the Alfa Nero sale. The yacht was seized under legislation passed by Parliament after it was abandoned in Antiguan waters following international sanctions imposed on its Russian-linked ownership. The vessel was subsequently sold at public auction in July 2024 for approximately US$40 million, with proceeds used to satisfy legitimate government obligations, including debts owed to regional financial institutions.
"There is no missing money," the Prime Minister stated.
Browne also disputed the article's characterisation of ongoing litigation in the United States, saying it incorrectly implies that court proceedings are exposing his personal financial records. He pointed to a March 2026 ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which upheld an earlier decision quashing subpoenas seeking financial records from American banks involving himself and other Antiguan officials. The Prime Minister described the appellate ruling as a clear legal victory for the Government — the opposite of what the article suggests.
On his defamation lawsuit against law firm Boies Schiller Flexner and attorney Martin De Luca, Browne said the action was filed in response to what he characterised as false and defamatory public statements made on behalf of sanctioned Russian interests. He maintained that pursuing legal remedies was an appropriate response to allegations he said damaged his reputation and that of his administration.
The Prime Minister also raised concerns about how the article is being distributed online, claiming that social media links to the story first route readers through a third-party commercial tracking system. He alleged this method of distribution indicates a coordinated, paid campaign designed to boost the article's circulation while concealing those responsible for promoting it.
"My Government acted in the national interest when we seized and sold the Alfa Nero," Browne said. "The courts in the United States have confirmed our right to do so."
He added that his administration would continue to pursue legal action against individuals or entities that publish what he described as false and damaging statements, while remaining focused on the business of governing the country.
