The year when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine will also be remembered as one of the darkest and most chaotic times in the niche, ultra-exclusive superyacht industry. An entire world watched as extravagant floating palaces suddenly became “wanted”; some were detained, while others tried to hide, and it’s not over yet. One of the most controversial vessels in this infamous club is trying to make a clean break.
This is what the Addiction superyacht is going for right now, following a successful deal that was carried out, as expected, in secret. While off-the-market sales are not that uncommon in this industry, they raise an eyebrow when sanctioned vessels are involved. To be fair, this jaw-dropping Amels was removed from the US official sanctions list towards the end of last year, which only made it even more controversial.
In March 2023, when the “superyacht hunt” began, Addiction was one of the luxury assets sanctioned by the US, along with the sailing yacht Anatta. Both of them allegedly belonged to Sergei Nikolaevich Adonev, a Russian-Israeli millionaire. Like all the other oligarchs on the list, Adonev was said to have financed Russia’s war as one of the close allies of Putin and Chemezov, head of the famous Rostec state corporation.
As a result of the sanctions, Addiction was considered a blocked asset, which was a less harsh status than the superyachts that actually got arrested. Only a few months later, in September, the Malta-flagged yacht was one of the few lucky ones to be removed from OFAC’s (The Office of Foreign Assets Control) list. Now, as we enter the second quarter of 2024, it has discretely changed hands.
Starting now, the 2010 Amels should be entirely free of its unfortunate connection to the wanted oligarch superyachts, and it has plenty of qualities to ensure its success privately or in the charter market. Launched as the first unit in the Amels Limited Edition 177 Series, this is a timeless Tim Heywood design boasting exceptional volume for its 54-meter (178 feet).
Unsurprisingly, both the final price and the new owner remain secret. As for Addiction’s former owner, he remains controversial. The telecommunications mogul, who was said to own several yachts and a private jet, has a complicated relationship with the US, which includes having been investigated by the FBI prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that followed.
For now, the Dutch-built superyacht remains secretive as it tries to distance itself from the controversy and start a fresh chapter.
