who owns scheherazade yacht

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‘Mysterious’: the $700m superyacht in Italy some say belongs to Putin

Activists linked to Alexei Navalny believe the Scheherazade is owned by the Russian president

F or several months, the mysterious 140-metre-long, six-floor superyacht has towered over the smaller boats in the shipyard in Marina di Carrara, a town on Italy’s Tuscan coast, arousing chatter among its people over the identity of its wealthy owner.

“It’s the largest yacht I’ve ever seen here,” said Suzy Dimitrova, who owns a boat in the marina. “There are people cleaning it all the time. The last time I saw it leave [the shipyard] was last year. We’re all wondering who the owner is.”

The Scheherazade, said to be worth $700m (£528m), is under investigation by Italian authorities for potential links to sanctioned Russians. And activists working with the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny are in no doubt that the yacht is owned by the Russian president Vladimir Putin .

On Monday, investigative journalist Maria Pevchikh and anti-corruption activist Georgy Alburov said that all crew members, obtained from a list dating December 2020, were Russian, apart from the captain. In a video published on YouTube, they claimed that some of the yacht’s staff worked for the Russia’s Federal Protective Service (FSO), an agency that manages security for high-ranking officials including Putin.

The activists, who have urged Italian authorities to seize the yacht, said this information proves it belongs to Putin. “They are Russian state employees, military personnel, and they regularly travel to Italy as a group to work on the mysterious yacht,” Pevchikh wrote on Twitter.

The interior of the vessel was described as being equipped with a spa, swimming pools, two helipads, a wood-burning fireplace and a pool table designed to tilt so as to reduce the impact of the waves.

In an address to the Italian parliament on Tuesday, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Italy to seize the yacht, adding that Putin and his wealthy supporters often holidayed in Italy and should have their assets blocked.

“Don’t be a resort for murderers,” he said. “Lock all their real estate, accounts and yachts – from the Scheherazade to the smallest ones.”

Putin’s last official visit to Italy was in 2019, at the invitation of the former prime minister, Giuseppe Conte. He also held talks with Pope Francis at the Vatican during the visit.

Marina di Carrara is close to Forte dei Marmi, a favourite holiday destination for Russian oligarchs, many of whom have bought villas and beach resorts.

In early March, Italian police seized a yacht owned by Alexei Mordashov, the richest man in Russia before being blacklisted by the European Union, and another owned by Gennady Timchenko, a billionaire with close ties to Putin , in the Ligurian port of Imperia.

The yacht can only be seen through a fence, where it is continuing to undergo a refit, scheduled to be completed next year, in a shipyard owned by The Italian Sea Group, a company that refits and builds luxury yachts.

The mystery over its owner gathered momentum in early March, when finance police in Carrara boarded the yacht as EU sanctions against Russian oligarchs kicked in over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine .

The police seized ownership documents from the yacht’s British captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce. At the time, US officials told the New York Times that they were also investigating whether the yacht belonged to Putin.

The Italian Sea Group said in a statement that it was continuing to work on the ship’s €6m (£5m) refit and maintenance despite the EU’s sanctions and that, according to documents in its possession, the vessel “is not attributable to the property of the Russian president Vladimir Putin”, and neither is it owned by a Russian on the sanction list.

A source at the finance police unit in Carrara said that they are now aware who the owner is and will soon make an announcement.

An investigation by La Stampa newspaper earlier this month had linked the vessel to Eduard Yurievich Khudainatov, the former president of the Russian state oil firm Rosneft, via a shell company registered in the Marshall Islands.

But Italian police are reportedly certain that Khudainatov is not the yacht’s real owner. “He seems to be a man connected with Putin’s inner circle but not so rich as to own a yacht like the Scheherazade,” said Jacopo Iacoboni, the journalist for La Stampa who carried out the investigation.

Until the Italian police reveal their findings, the people of Marina di Carrara continue to ponder, even if its presence causes concern. “Putin is the presumed owner, and looking at it now causes me a lot of anxiety because of what he is doing in Ukraine,” said Maria Cristina.

However, there are no signs of protests being planned. “There are always a lot of words, but little action here,” said Dimitrova.

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Italy won't say who's paying for the care of a $700 million superyacht tied to Putin

Dustin Jones

The Scheherazade, a 460-foot superyacht, has been held in Italy since May 2022 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is believed to have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Laura Lezza/Getty Images hide caption

The Scheherazade, a 460-foot superyacht, has been held in Italy since May 2022 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is believed to have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Scheherazade superyacht was impounded by the Italian government in May 2022 in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Instead of falling into disrepair, Italy has allowed its owner to maintain and refit the vessel, but it won't disclose who is footing the bill.

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the vessel has been held at port in Marina di Carrara, located almost 90 miles northwest of Florence, since it was impounded by authorities in the spring of 2022. For over a year, the Italian government has permitted the owner to continue paying for the ship's staff, its maintenance and refitting of the vessel. But Italy won't identify the owner.

Italy's Finance Ministry said in a May 2022 news release that the superyacht had "significant economic and business links" with "prominent elements of the Russian government" but didn't name the owner of the ship.

Ukraine invasion — explained

Ravaged by russian troops, bucha rises from the ashes.

According to the website SuperYachtFan , the 460-foot superyacht belongs to Russian billionaire Eduard Khudainatov. However, Bloomberg News reported in 2022 that he is a "straw owner" of the superyacht — as well as another ship — and that the Scheherazade actually belongs to Putin.

The Financial Times reported that the Scheherazade has 22 cabins, two helicopter decks and a spa and that it's being refitted by the Italian Sea Group. NPR reached out to the Italian Sea Group for comment but did not hear back before publication.

The United States created Task Force KleptoCapture in the wake of Putin's war against Ukraine, aiming to hold Russian oligarchs accountable for evading sanctions. In its one year of operation, the task force has brought charges to at least 35 individuals and entities, NPR previously reported.

Part of those efforts included seizing luxury items belonging to billionaires with ties to the Kremlin. This includes items like a 348-foot yacht seized in Fiji in May 2022, which is valued at about $300 million and is now sitting in San Diego.

140m Lurssen Project Lightning has been named SCHEHERAZADE and delivered to her owner

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Written by Maria Korotaeva

The 140m Lurssen megayacht Project Lightning has been delivered to her owner and she is now known as SCHEHERAZADE . 

SCHEHERAZADE on maiden voyage. Photo credit DrDuu

Her maiden journey has already begun and she is now on the way to Norway. With the launch last year, she is one of the most anticipated yachts to be delivered this year .

SCHEHERAZADE – Aerial shot. DrDuu

Similar to other Lurssen mega yacht launches, the information released to date is very little. It appears that the exterior profile was penned by Espen Oeino , however, there has not been a press release either from the shipyard nor from the designer to confirm that.

Lurssen 140m mega yacht on maiden voyage. Photo credit DrDuu

SCHEHERAZADE delivered to her owner. Photo credit DrDuu

Two helipads, massive outdoor and interior living areas are spread across six vas decks. The yacht’s interior volume of 10,167GT offers luxury amenities usually expected to be found on a mega yacht.

MORE PHOTOS OF SCHEHERAZADE

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "140m Lurssen Project Lightning has been named SCHEHERAZADE and delivered to her owner".

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Italy investigating mystery owner of $700m superyacht rumored to be putin’s.

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Italian police are investigating a mysterious $700 million superyacht moored there — amid ongoing rumors that it is owned by warmongering Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Scheherazade’s captain confirmed to the New York Times that Italian investigators boarded the 459-foot vessel in Marina di Carrara on Friday, demanding proof of ownership for what locals have long dubbed “Putin’s yacht.”

“They are looking hard. They are looking at every aspect,” Captain Guy Bennett-Pearce told the paper amid ongoing moves to seize Russian oligarchs’ yachts .

“This isn’t the local coppers coming down, these are men in dark suits,” said the British national, using a UK term for police officers.

Bennett-Pearce refused to reveal the identity of the owner of the yacht, whose crew was at least 70 percent Russian, he said.

But he said he had “no choice” but to this week hand over documents revealing the owner’s identity to the investigating squad, which a source told the Times was led by Italian financial police.

One of the most expensive yachts in the world, Scheherazade has a swimming pool that converts to a dance floor, gold-plated fixtures, two helicopter decks and numerous satellite domes, the report said.

“Scheherazade” is the title of a symphonic work by the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and each of the last two summers the yacht has sailed to Sochi, the Times said of the Russian city where Putin is rumored to own a personal “palace.”

“Everybody calls it Putin’s yacht,” one local, retired clerk Ernesto Rossi, told the Times. “It’s a rumor that’s been going around for months.”

One former crew member told the Times that shipmates also called it “Putin’s yacht,” saying that when in use by the owner, it was manned by an all-Russian staff.

Bennett-Pearce admitted that he had also heard the rumor and local nickname, but said that a “watertight nondisclosure agreement” prevented him from identifying the owner.

However, he denied it was Putin, telling the paper, “I have never seen him. I have never met him.”

Confirming his plan to finally tell the Italian investigators the owner’s identity, he told the paper, “I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that this will clear the vessel of all negative rumors and speculations.”

Get the latest updates in the Russia-Ukraine conflict with The Post’s live coverage.

The Scheherazade’s builder, Lurssen Group, declined to comment to the paper about its ownership.

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European and U.S. authorities have started seizing assets belonging to known Putin associates, Russian oligarchs believed to have amassed their fortune illegally and to have used it to fund the ongoing war effort against Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin himself is on international sanctions list, but a megayacht believed to be his is still out there, at total liberty.

A couple of weeks ago, reports noted that one of the largest megayachts in the world, which also happens to be the biggest and most expensive vessel to not have a publicly-known owner, was in Italy. Scheherazade is a 459-foot (140-meter) six-decker with two helipads and outrageous luxury amenities, delivered by Lurssen in 2020 for a reported total cost of $700 million.

Despite its size and its fame, no one knows who owns Scheherazade, but this isn’t the first time Putin’s name is thrown in the mix. The ship’s captain, who also happens to be the only non-Russian crew member, told the NY Times two weeks ago that, while the owner was Russian, he was not on any sanctions list. The same captain refused to go into specifics, citing his ironclad NDA (non-disclosure agreement).

A new journalistic investigation claims to prove that only Putin could be the owner, because more than 23 of the listed crew members are FSO – the Federal Protective Service, which is the Presidential security agency involved in managing and helping out with every aspect of Putin’s life, from his food intake to running his estates and providing personal security.

The investigation is spearheaded by journalist Maria Pevchikh and anti-corruption activist Georgy Alburov, both members of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) founded by Alexei Navalny. Navalny is Russia’s biggest Putin critic and opponent, having spent the last two decades striving to unmask the highest levels of corruption within the Russian government.

The full investigation is available in the video below, with English subtitles. The argument made is that, since this is a ship ran entirely by a Russian crew – and highly specialized state agents, at that – only Putin could be the mysterious owner. This is the same crew that handles every other aspect of business he has in the country and in the rest of the world, so the fact that they fly monthly to Italy for “maintenance” on Scheherazade could be proof that Putin is pulling the strings. “They are Russian state employees, military personnel, and they regularly travel to Italy as a group to work on the mysterious yacht,”  Maria Pevchikh says on Twitter. She and Alburov urge Italian authorities to immediately seize the yacht under current sanctions.

We should note that, while Navalny’s work to expose Russian oligarchs and politicians’ corruption is notable (particularly his January 2021 film on Putin’s supposed palace in Gelendzhik, Krasnodar Krai, aka  “the world’s biggest bribe” ), he remains Putin’s political opponent and has been trying to replace him at the head of state for a number of years. In other words, do take this with a pinch of salt.

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Italian Police Seize Russian Oligarch Andrey Melnichenko’s 468-Foot ‘Sailing Yacht A’

The list keeps growing with the impoundment of "sailing yacht a" and suspicion that "scheherazade" might be connected to vladimir putin., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

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Italy’s finance police seized one of the world’s most iconic sailing yachts, owned by a Russian oligarch. Andrey Melnichenko’s Sailing Yacht A , with an estimated value of $578 million, was impounded in dry dock at the Port of Trieste, according to a statement from the Guardia di Finanzia. Melninchenko was sanctioned by the European Union on March 9 as part of a group of Russian oligarchs who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin following its Ukraine invasion to discuss the potential economic impact of EU and American sanctions.

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Melnichenko owns the major fertilizer producer EuroChem Group and SUEK, a coal company. He also owns the 390-foot Motor Yacht A. A spokesperson said in a statement that Melnichenko has nothing to do with politics and that he has removed himself from the board of Eurochem and SUEK after the EU sanctioned him. “He has no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine. He has no political affiliations,” said the statement.

US intelligence officials have also said they are trying to link the Scheherazade , a $700 million superyacht in dry dock in Italy, to Putin. The New York Times reported that the US government has made no definite conclusions about the yacht’s ownership, but believe it could be owned by the Russian president. The yacht’s captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, told the Times that Putin had no stake in the yacht, but declined to name the owner. Bennett-Pearce said he would provide Italian police with documents that divulged the owner’s name. The Italian Sea Group, which owns the shipyard where Scheherazade is dry docked, said that, based on “checks carried out by relevant authorities,” the yacht is “not attributable to the property of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

Roman Abramovich, who owns Solaris. last week was placed on the UK sanctions list.  Courtesy of Lloyd Werft

Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was also added to the UK sanctions list days after he announced the sale of the football club. Abramovich, who owns a string of supercars and several private jets, also owns the superyachts Solaris and Eclipse. Solaris is reportedly sailing towards Israel, where Abramovich has dual citizenship.

On March 3, France’s finance ministry said that it had impounded Amore Vero , a yacht owned by Igor Sechin, CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft. The EU had sanctioned Sechin earlier that week, calling him one of Putin’s “most trusted and closest advisors, as well as his personal friend.” German authorities also detained the 512-foot superyacht Dilbar in Hamburg, owned by Alisher Usmanov. Reports said the crew was fired last week. On March 5, Italian authorities impounded two yachts, Lena and Lady M , owned by Gennady Timchenko and Alexei Mordashov, respectively.

On Friday, the US State Department placed Viktor Vekselberg on its sanctions list. Two of Vekeselberg’s luxury assets, an Airbus A319-115 jet and his yacht Tango , were identified as “blocked property.”

The superyacht Scheherazade was impounded in Italy during an investigation to uncover whether it is owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Video Still/YT

The seizures have prompted the superyacht industry to distance itself from the oligarchs. Italian yacht builders Sanlorenzo and Azimut both released statements that they have limited exposure to Russian clients, and none are on the sanctions list. Heesen Yachts released a statement that two Russians sitting on its supervisory board of directors have resigned their positions. The builder said Heesen is 100-percent Dutch-owned company and that Pavel Sukhoruchkin and Pavel Novoselov had nothing to do with its day-to-day operations.

Ownership of many Russian yachts is often hidden by shell companies in tax havens like the Cayman Islands. They are not only hard to trace, but actually seizing and selling them could present a legal quagmire that could take years to resolve.

Some are wondering whether seizing the oligarchs’ private yachts and jets will work. “Sanctions are another example of the West doing what it does best, which is just throwing a lot of cash at the problem and hoping it gets solved,” Olga Chyzh, a professor of political science at the University of Toronto, told the Washington Post. “However sad they are to let go of their Western assets, oligarchs have even more to lose if Putin is no longer there to protect them.”

Eclipse is another yacht owned by Roman Abramovich.  Robb Report File

In the meantime, some oligarchs are taking their yachts to destinations like the Maldives , the Seychelles and Dubai, which have no extradition treaties with the US and EU. Dubai has become a favorite destination for Russian tourism and wealth.

Alex Finley, a former CIA officer, has been tracking the yachts from Barcelona. Using the hashtag “Yacht Watch,” she posts updates on Twitter for Russian-owned superyachts.

“For me, the yachts are a big, easily recognizable symbol of the more serious side of this [Russian invasion]: These are people who support a dictator, and have been supporting him in carrying out destabilization operations against democracy, while at the same time coming here and taking all the benefits of the exact same democracies they were destabilizing,” Finley told the Washington Post.

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$700M Superyacht Belongs to Putin, New Navalny Investigation Claims

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How This Superyacht Became an Overnight Geopolitical Mystery

By Jessica Cherner

The Russia sanctions are growing, seemingly by the hundreds, every day. And much of the world is watching with glee as oligarchs’ luxuries are being hunted down by international governments. If we’ve learned anything from movies like The Wolf of Wall Street, which is based on a true story, it’s that some of the world’s wealthiest enjoy flaunting their money. Not only do billionaires often spend their money on toys like European sports cars and diamond-encrusted watches, but they also want the world to know to whom these extremely rare possessions belong. 

After all, Jeff Bezos has been accumulating quite a bit of press as he works on dismantling a historic bridge in Rotterdam to sail his $500 million yacht onto the open sea. But some billionaires play their cards a bit closer to the chest. Case in point: the owner of a 459-foot superyacht docked in a Tuscan port. No one, not even the Italian police, can identify who the enormous vessel belongs to, which leads the world to believe it may be someone tied to one of the world’s most currently despised leaders: Vladimir Putin.

Scheherazade , which costs an estimated $700 million, boasts not one but two helicopter decks. 

Few believe that the floating mansion actually belongs to the Russian president—whose recent invasion of Ukraine is earning more sanctions than he, his country, and his billionaire friends thought imaginable—but many are more certain that it belongs to someone with ties to the top of the Russian government.

Since the devastating fate of Ukraine started to unfold, the United States, along with the UK and the European Union, have come together to track down the luxuries belonging to Putin’s friends, who are part of a massively growing list of billionaires facing punishing sanctions. That’s why this boat, one of the world’s largest and costliest, is such a point of interest.

International governments have been going after the luxurious belongings of Russian oligarchs since Putin and his government started getting slapped with sanctions two weeks ago, so assuming the yacht hiding out in Italy is one of Putin’s friend’s, things aren’t looking so good. However, no one can confirm just yet. The ship’s British captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, promised that Putin had never been on the boat and that it didn’t belong to him, but he didn’t confirm whether or not the yacht belonged to a Russian national.

Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Considering all of the amenities on the boat, dubbed Scheherazade , it’s not exactly an unfair guess to assume the owner is a Russian oligarch. Scheherazade , which costs an estimated $700 million, boasts not one but two helicopter decks, an indoor swimming pool with a retractable cover that transforms the pool into a dance floor, a fully equipped gym, and bathrooms complete with gold-plated fixtures. That’s a lot of sparkle even for the level of wealth associated with a purchase this big. However, the glamour isn’t the unusual part; the degree of intentional secrecy is.

The superyacht community does entertain a level of confidentiality—mostly for security purposes—but the Scheherazade is kept under so many wraps that it makes people believe something dubious must be going on when it comes to the owner’s identity. For instance, all of the contractors and crew members signed nondisclosure agreements, there’s a custom cover to hide the boat’s nameplate, and when Scheherazade arrived at the port, workers built a metal structure on the pier to keep passersby from seeing the yacht.

The 459-foot superyacht is currently docked in a Tuscan port.

This yacht, however, isn’t the only one catching people’s attention as of late. The world’s second-biggest yacht, called Eclipse , is owned by Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire who owns the British soccer club, Chelsea. On Thursday, March 10, the UK government sanctioned Abramovich's assets.

As for Scheherazade , that mystery is still being investigated, and until the feds can figure out who the not-so-proud owner is, the behemoth on water will remain where it is, shrouded in a cloak of well-orchestrated secrecy.

By Kristine Hansen

By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar

By Rachel Davies

By Morgan Goldberg

Navalny group presents evidence Putin owns mysterious $700 million mega-yacht Scheherazade

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France, Italy, and Spain have seized at least eight yachts linked to Russian oligarchs hit with sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Other sanctioned Russians have moved their mega-yachts to the Maldives, Seychelles, Dubai, Turkey, and other areas out of the reach of U.S., British, and European Union oligarch asset hunters .

Graceful, a $140 million yacht believed to be owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, got a head start , sailing from Germany to the coast of Kaliningrad, Russia, in mid-February, about two weeks before Russia's invasion. But the $700 million, 459-foot superyacht Scheherazade, rumored to be "Putin's yacht," has been docked in an Italian port, Marina di Carrara, since September.

"In the rarefied world of the biggest superyachts," The New York Times reported earlier in March, "the Scheherazade is alone in that no likely owner has been publicly identified." Even in "the hyper-confidential world of superyachting," the Times adds, "there is an unusual degree of secrecy surrounding this vessel."

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The Scheherazade's British captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, told the Times that while he is not allowed to disclose who owns the ship, it is not Putin. "I have never seen him," he said. "I have never met him." He also said Italian finance investigators had recently boarded the ship looking for certification documents.

Jailed dissident Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation said Monday that aside from Bennett-Pearce, the rest of the Scheherazade's crew is not just Russian, but also work for the FSO, or Federal Protective Service, Russia's equivalent of the U.S. Secret Service. Navalny's team ran through how it linked the crew to the FSO in a Russian-language video and in English on Twitter .

Putin officially earns a $136,000 salary and owns a modest apartment, three Soviet-era cars, and a small camping trailer, Radio Free Europe reports , but Navalny's group and other anti-corruption politicians — some subsequently killed or poisoned — have linked Putin to a vast spread of mansions, jets, yachts, and other luxury assets . "Putin never keeps assets under his own name," though, Navalny investigator Maria Pevchikh tweeted . "So you need to look not at the ownership structure but rather at who manages and pays for it."

"FSO is a militarized state agency responsible for the security and wellbeing of Vladimir Putin personally," Pevchikh wrote . But along with bodyguard duties, "FSO officers are also responsible for all Putin's official residences. ... They are literally running Putin's life." And his yacht, apparently, unless finance police can trace the Scheherazade's ownership back to him.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.  

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Putin-Linked Superyacht May Elude Sanctions, by Setting Sail

The Italian police are in a race to finish investigating a $700 million vessel thought to be the Russian president’s — before it’s out of their reach.

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By Gaia Pianigiani and Michael Forsythe

• May 4, 2022

MARINA DI CARRARA, Italy— The Italian police are in a race to finish investigating the ownership of a $700 million superyacht, which U.S. officials say is linked to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, before the vessel is put to sea and able to elude possible sanctions.

They may be running out of time.

After spending months dry-docked in the Tuscan port of Marina di Carrara, the 459-foot vessel, called the Scheherazade, was put into the water again on Tuesday. Crew members milled about topside as water slowly filled the dry dock. The British captain, who had previously spoken to reporters, did not respond to questions.

A former crew member said that the ship could be ready to sail immediately, but that first it was likely to undergo sea trials to check its equipment — common for a ship that has been under repair and, in this case, in port since September.

The Scheherazade has so far avoided the fate of some luxury yachts linked to powerful Russians, which have been seized in the effort by the European Union, Britain and the United States to go after the wealth of oligarchs and officials in Mr. Putin’s inner circle in response to the Ukraine invasion. In March, the Scheherazade’s captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, said the vessel’s owner — whom he didn’t identify — was not on any sanctions list. The Italian media reported that the owner was Eduard Khudainatov, an oil tycoon not currently under sanctions. He is a longtime associate of Igor Sechin, a close Putin ally and chairman of the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft, who is believed to be the owner of a superyacht seized in March.

Mr. Khudainatov’s ownership of the Scheherazade could not be independently verified. If indeed he is the owner, it may be only on paper. His name has also come up in the case of another superyacht, The Associated Press earlier reported: the Amadea , which shares an exterior designer, interior designer and builder with the Scheherazade. On Tuesday, Fiji’s highest court gave the United States permission to seize the $325 million Amadea, which has been held in the South Pacific nation since last month. According to an American official, the vessel’s owner is Suleiman A. Kerimov , a billionaire gold magnate from Russia who has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018; defense lawyers claim the true owner is Mr. Khudainatov, The Associated Press reported.

The former Scheherazade crew member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of a nondisclosure agreement that workers on the ship signed, had never heard of Mr. Khudainatov and said it was openly discussed onboard that the Scheherazade’s real owner was Mr. Putin. Soon after The Times first wrote about the Scheherazade in early March, U.S. officials said the yacht had ties to Mr. Putin, without offering specifics. A team of journalists working for the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny obtained a list of crew members and found that many of them were employees of the Russian agency that guards Mr. Putin.

A spokeswoman for Italy’s financial police, which has been leading the national and international inquiry into the Scheherazade’s ownership, said that, should the vessel leave before their investigation concluded, there would be nothing that authorities could do to stop it.

Three port workers said that the authorities appeared to be keeping an eye on the yacht, which has been adjacent to a police station and the Coast Guard while in dry dock; a police helicopter makes daily fly-bys, they said. The workers, who were not authorized to speak to the press, asked that their names not be disclosed.

A retired shipyard employee, Roberto Franchi, said that if the Scheherazade “is floating, it can move relatively quickly.”

It isn’t clear where the ship would go, but the movements of Russian-owned superyachts that have successfully dodged American, European Union or British sanctions offer some possibilities. Two vessels that belong to the billionaire Roman Abramovich, who faces British and E.U. sanctions, have been in Turkish waters for weeks. Others have loitered in the Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. The Nord, owned by the billionaire Alexei Mordashov, went much farther afield, arriving at the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok at the end of March, according to data from Marine Traffic, which tracks vessels.

Those superyachts escaped the fate of the Amadea and a growing list of others, including Sailing Yacht A, owned by the billionaire Andrey Melnichenko and impounded by the Italian police in March; and the Crescent, sister ship of the Scheherazade, impounded in Spain. Reuters, citing a person in the Spanish police, reported that the Crescent was believed to belong to Mr. Sechin.

Here in Marina di Carrara, port workers and other people with access to the shipyard saw a flurry of activity by the Scheherazade’s crew: removing the white plastic screens that protected the decks during the repairs, cleaning the ship, loading supplies. Last week, they said, fuel trucks filled the vessel’s enormous tanks, while crew members carefully moved wrapped cases onboard.

As the sun set on Tuesday, a young couple had their aperitivo drinks at a bar overlooking the shipyard.

“Look, Putin’s yacht is still here,” Massimo Giovi, a 25-year old student, joked. “If that goes, it will change the skyline here.”

Julian Barnes contributed reporting.

Gaia Pianigiani is a reporter based in Italy for The New York Times.  More about Gaia Pianigiani

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

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Ahead of the U.S. elections, Russia is intensifying efforts to elevate candidates  who oppose aid for Ukraine and support isolationism, disinformation experts say.

President Vladimir Putin said that claims Russia planned to invade other countries were “nonsense,” but warned them against hosting  warplanes meant for Ukraine.

A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack damaged power plants  and caused blackouts for more than a million Ukrainians in what Ukrainian officials said was one of the war’s largest assaults on energy infrastructure.

Symbolism or Strategy?: Ukrainians say that defending places with little strategic value is worth the cost in casualties and weapons , because the attacking Russians pay an even higher price. American officials aren’t so sure.

Elaborate Tales: As the Ukraine war grinds on, the Kremlin has created increasingly complex fabrications online  to discredit Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, and undermine the country’s support in the West.

Targeting Russia’s Oil Industry: With its army short of ammunition and troops to break the deadlock on the battlefield, Kyiv has increasingly taken the fight beyond the Ukrainian border, attacking oil infrastructure deep in Russian territory .

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We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

Photos show the luxury mega yachts that belong to Russian oligarchs — some of whom have hidden their ships as the UK ramps up sanctions.

• Sanctions targeting Russian oligarchs threaten their luxury assets — including their mega yachts.
• Many countries have implemented sanctions targeting Putin and Russian oligarchs following Russia's attack on Ukraine.
• Insider compiled a photo list of some of the luxury vessels.

Russian billionaires' assets — including their megayachts — are in danger of being seized as countries continue to impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden announced that the US will make a substantial effort to seize Russian oligarchs' assets.

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," Biden said in his State of The Union address on March 1. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Since the US is not in "armed conflict" with Russia it may be legally tricky to seize assets like yachts, Insider reported . 

"The threshold for seizing assets under sanctions is that the US has to be in armed conflict with the owner of the assets," Brian O'Toole, an economic sanctions expert, tweeted last Friday. "The idea of turning Russian corruption into Ukrainian assistance is lovely but this idea is illegal, period."

It can also be difficult to find out who the owners of these yachts are.

Offshore companies typically own the luxury vessels, but enough "public speculation" pointing to a Russian oligarch as an owner is likely "sufficient for a seizure," Insider reported . 

Many of the oligarchs moved their yachts to places where they can't be seized, such as the Maldives, which does not have an extradition treaty with the US.

Insider has compiled a list of photos with mega yachts linked to Russian oligarchs.

Galactica Super Nova

Amid sanctions and seizures targeting Russian billionaires, Galactica Super Nova — said to be linked to the CEO of Russian oil firm Lukoil — is no longer detectable via ship tracker site MarineTraffic , The Daily Beast reported Thursday. 

The superyacht — whose owner is named Vagit Alekperov — had just been in Montenegro last week, Insider reported .

Alekperov is not currently the target of any sanctions. 

The yacht is almost 230 feet long and can hold up to 12 guests and 16 crew members, according to the ship maker Heesen Yachts .

The ship also has a helicopter pad that can turn into an outdoor movie theatre, also according to the ship maker.

The Amore Vero

France seized Amore Vero, a 281-foot megayacht linked to oligarch and politician Igor Sechin, on March 3.

The yacht, Amore Vero, is estimated to have a value of $120 million . It has a swimming pool that doubles as a helicopter pad and a private deck for its owner, according to Oceana , the ship maker.

Per The Wall Street Journal , officials believe that Amore Vero is "owned by a company whose majority shareholder was Mr. Sechin," though the outlet does not provide the name of the company.

Sechin is the CEO of Rosneft, Russia's oil giant, and a former deputy prime minister. A known Putin ally , he was sanctioned by both the EU and the US before France seized his yacht last week .

Sechin was one of seven oligarchs sanctioned by the UK on Thursday. 

People in Russia have referred to Sechin as "Darth Vader" and "the scariest man on Earth," according to The Guardian .

Alisher Usmanov has been sanctioned by the EU, the US, the UK, and Switzerland. His boat remains in Germany, but the country says it hasn't seized it.

Usmanov's Dilbar is "is the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage," according to Lürssen , the German ship's maker.

It's 512-foot long and weighs 15,917 tons. The ship has been docked in Germany for months undergoing a "refitting," but last week Forbes reported that it was unable to leave the dock.

Germany, however, has denied that it formally seized Dilbar.

Forbes said that "the German federal customs agency is the 'responsible enforcement authority' and would have to issue an export waiver for the yacht to leave, and that 'no yacht leaves port that is not allowed to do so.'" 

Still, multiple outlets reported that Usmanov has fired the crew on the Dilbar.

The Uzbekistan-born oligarch is a supporter of Putin. 

"I am proud that I know Putin, and the fact that everybody does not like him is not Putin's problem," Usmanov told Forbes  in a 2010 interview. 

Suleyman Kerimov was sanctioned by the US, and his son, Said Kerimov, owns ICE. The superyacht is worth is an estimated $170 million.

The Kerimov family owns the majority of Polyus Gold, Russia's biggest gold producer .

ICE was dubbed "Superyacht of the Year" in 2006 at the World Super Yacht Awards, according to Boat International . It is approximately 300 feet and has its own resident helicopter, according to Club Yacht .

Quantum Blue

Sergey Galitsky's ship, Quantum Blue, has an estimated value of $250 million and is last known to be docked in Monaco.

Galitsky is the founder of one of Russia's largest supermarket chains, Magnit.

His name is not currently on the list of sanctioned Russian oligarchs,

Though he also is not the target of any current sanctions, Vladimir Potanin's superyacht, Nirvana, is one of at least four ships docked in the Maldives .

Potanin is the Former First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and was a longtime trustee for the Guggenheim museum before stepping down on March 2, according to The New York Times . 

Nirvana is not Potanin's only superyacht, he also owns another named Barbara, according to Fortune .

Alexander Abramov's Titan, Alexei Mordashovis' Nord, and Oleg Deripaska's Clio are also located in the Maldives.

At 533 feet long, Roman Abramovich's Eclipse was the largest yacht on the globe until 2013 when the 590-foot Azzam overthrew it. 

Abramovich, once Russia's richest man , is the departing owner of Chelsea FC soccer club. He was sanctioned by the UK on Thursday along with six other oligarchs, Insider reported .

The luxury boat has a host of amenities, including two helicopter pads, a missile detection system, and a swimming pool more than 50 feet long. It also has space for up to 36 guests and 70 crew members, according to Yacht Harbour .

Insider previously reported that it is currently docked in the Caribbean .

Another yacht named Solaris is linked to Abramovich. The vessel, worth approximately $600 million, left Spain Tuesday after having been under repair since late 2021, Insider reported.

Solaris is 460 feet and can host a total of 36 guests, according to SuperYachtFan .

Tango, owned by the US-sanctioned Viktor Vekselberg, is currently located in Palma, Spain.

Tango can host up to 14 people and is 254 feet long, won the 2012 World Superyacht Awards, and has an estimated worth of $120 million, according to SuperYachtFan .

Vekselberg is a Ukrainian-born businessman who owns Renova, a Russian conglomerate, according to The Guardian .

He was one of nearly two dozen Russian oligarchs and officials that the US sanctioned on Friday.

The US Treasury Department claims that he has close ties with Putin, and has announced that assets such as his $90 million jet and his superyacht Tango have been frozen, Insider reported .

Graceful, a yacht reported to belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin, left Germany just before his invasion of Ukraine, Insider reported in early February.

—Manu Gómez (@GDarkconrad) February 9, 2022

Graceful is 270 feet long and has a saloon, gym, spa, library, and an indoor pool nearly 50 feet long that doubles as a dance floor.

Scheherazade

A mystery yacht remains untouched as the owner remains a mystery.

The owner of the 459-foot Scheherazade is suspected to be a Russian billionaire, though the owner was never publically identified, The New York Times reported .

Many people believe it belongs to Vladimir Putin, nicknaming the vessel "Putin's Yacht."

SuperYachtFan estimates the ship's value sits at $700 million.

Stella Maris

Stella Maris is linked to oil and gas tycoon Rashid Sardarov. It was last seen in Nice, France, according to The Washington Post .

The luxury vessel is priced at $75 million, is 237 feet long, and can hold up to 14 guests, per SuperYachtFan .

Sardarov is not being sanctioned. 

Sailing Yacht A

Sailing Yacht A is believed to belong to Andrey Melnichenko. The boat was seized by Spanish officials Saturday, Reuters reported .

The ship is more than 465 feet long and can hold up to 20 guests, according to SuperYachtFan . The website says that Sailing Yacht A also features an underwater observation area and has a value of more than $500 million.

Melnichenko is an EU-sanctioned Russian billionaire who works in coal and fertilizers, according to Forbes . The magazine also reported that he owns a second yacht, Motor Yacht A, which is similar to a submarine. 

Oligarch Gennady Timchenko's superyacht "Lena" was seized in the port of Sanremo, Italy on March 5, Reuters reported.

Timchenko is the owner of a private investment group, Volga Group and a shareholder of Bank Rossiya. The oligarch has been sanctioned by the EU, which describes him as a "long-time acquaintance of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin."

Timchenko was also sanctioned by the UK on February 22. 

The superyacht is valued at around 50 million euros ($54 million), Reuters reported. It has fold-down terraces, as well as an "owner's suite" which opens out onto the sea with "gull-wing doors," according to its manufacturer, Sanlorenzo.

Italian authorities also seized a $71 million super-yacht belonging to one of the wealthiest men in Russia , Alexei Mordashov. 

The 215-ft "Lady M" superyacht was seized in the Port of Imperia, northern Italy, a source confirmed to Reuters.

The yacht can accommodate up to six guests on and also has accommodation for four crew members, per the Superyacht Times .

The oligarch, who is the chairman of steel mining company, Severstal, has also been sanctioned by the EU, which says Mordashov is "benefiting from his links with Russian decision-makers." Mordashov has insisted he has "absolutely nothing to do" with Russia's attack on Ukraine. 

The Oligarch moved $1.3 billion worth of shares in travel company, TUI, to an offshore tax haven on the day he was hit by sanctions, Insider's Huileng Tan previously reported. 

He was also added to the UK government's sanctions list on March 15.

Some superyachts belonging to Russian billionaires are currently seeking refuge in the Maldives, including a yacht owned by billionaire Oleg Deripaska, Reuters reported.

The billionaire, who is also the founder of one of Russia's largest industrial groups, Basic Element, was added to the UK's sanctions list on March 10.

Also built by Lürssen, the superyacht - which is around 238 feet long - can accommodate 18 guests in nine cabins, per Superyacht Fan.

The superyacht Valerie - worth $140 million - was seized in Barcelona on Monday, Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said on La Sexta television, per Reuters.  

Sanchez did not confirm the owner of the yacht, but two sources confirmed to Reuters that it belonged to Sergei Chemezov, who is said to be a close ally of Putin.

The oligarch, who was previously a KGB spy with Putin in the former Soviet Union, recently said that Russia would emerge victorious from Western sanctions, Reuters previously reported . 

Chemezov, who is the CEO of Russian defense conglomerate Rostec was added to the US sanctions list on March 3. 

His yacht is 279 feet long and can accommodate 17 guests in eight suites, per Superyacht Fan.

Crescent, most likely owned by Igor Sechin but also rumored to belong to Putin, was the third yacht Spain seized as the West ramps up sanctions, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The superyacht is 443-feet long and costs an estimated $600 million, according to  SuperyachtFan, which also says the vessel hosts a retractable helicopter hangar and a large pool with a glass bottom.

Lady Anastasia

Lady Anastasia is owned by Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheyev but was seized by Spain on Tuesday, according to Reuters . 

The boat is almost 160 feet long and can hold up to 10 guests, according to Yacht Harbour .

Mikheyev, who was sanctioned by the EU, is the head of a helicopters division under Rostec, New York Mag reported .

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Asolare (ex: Scheherazade)

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ASOLARE YACHT CHARTER

47.2m  /  154'10   hodgdon yachts   2003 / 2016.

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Cabin Configuration

Special Features:

• Built from Douglas Fir Trees
• Interior Features Sycamore and Walnut Woods
• Over 500 Sea-themed Wooden Carvings Throughout
• Main Salon has Atrium-like Atmosphere
• Owner's Private Aft Cockpit Seating
• Guest Cabins have His-and-Her Offices

The largest cold-molded sailing yacht at the time of her delivery, ASOLARE was built to set new boundaries for the yachting world.

The 47.15m/154'8" 'Asolare' (ex. Scheherazade) sail yacht built by shipyard Hodgdon Yachts is available for charter for up to 6 guests in 3 cabins. This yacht features interior styling by British designer Winch Design.

Offering an enticing combination of luxury and adventure, Asolare has all the bells and whistles and a wealth of convivial social spaces for the ultimate sun-kissed yacht charter getaway.

Guest Accommodation

Asolare is great for families thanks to her child-friendly setup. Built in 2003, She offers guest accommodation for up to 6 guests with a layout comprising a master suite and two twin cabins. The bed configuration includes 1 king, 4 singles and 1 pullman. She is also capable of carrying up to 6 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht charter experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Whatever your activities on your charter, you'll find some impressive features are seamlessly integrated to help you, particularly satellite communications, keeping you connected on any voyage. Take advantage of the on board Wi-Fi and stay connected at all times or you can stay comfortable on board whatever the weather, with air conditioning during your charter.

Performance & Range

Asolare is built with a wood / epoxy hull and wood / epoxy superstructure. Asolare comfortably cruises at 11 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 14 knots with a range of up to 3,000 nautical miles from her 18,800 litre fuel tanks at cruising speed.

Onboard Asolare has a range of toys and accessories to keep you and your guests entertained on the water throughout your stay. Principle among these are waterskis that are hugely entertaining whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro. Extreme sports fans will appreciate the included Kite Surfers. If that isn't enough Asolare also features fishing equipment, paddleboards and snorkelling equipment. When it comes to Tenders, Asolare has you covered - with two tenders, including a 4.8m/15'9" Zodiac Tender.

Asolare is available upon request for charter this winter. She is already accepting bookings this summer for cruising in the Mediterranean.

With its superlative combination of luxurious styling and superb amenities, sail yacht Asolare has everything you could possibly want for unforgettable yacht charter vacations.

TESTIMONIALS

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Asolare Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Asolare has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Asolare is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 4.8m  /  15'9 Zodiac Tender 50 HP engine
• 4.2m  /  13'9 Zodiac Tender 20 HP engine

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

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For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

'Asolare' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

€89,000 p/week + expenses Approx $96,000

High Season

€98,000 p/week + expenses Approx $106,000

Cruising Regions

Mediterranean France, Italy, Monaco

HOT SPOTS:   Amalfi Coast, Corsica, French Riviera, Sardinia

Winter Season

October - April

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Producer who accused Sean 'Diddy' Combs adds Cuba Gooding Jr. to sexual assault, harassment lawsuit

A music producer who filed a lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs last month has now accused actor Cuba Gooding Jr. of sexually harassing and assaulting him, an amended federal complaint filed Monday night shows.

The amended civil complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan hours after federal officials searched Combs’ homes . Combs is a subject of a federal investigation, and several people have been interviewed by federal officials in Manhattan in relation to allegations involving sex trafficking, assault, illegal narcotics and firearms, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.

Representatives for Combs, 54, did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment Monday.

The producer, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, filed his original lawsuit against Combs and others in February, alleging that Combs forced him to procure sex workers and pressured him to engage in unwelcomed sex acts with them.

The amended suit alleges that Gooding groped Jones while on Combs’ yacht.

An attorney and representatives for Gooding did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Monday.

Gooding “began touching, groping, and fondling Mr. Jones’ legs, his upper inner thighs near his groin, the small of his back near his buttocks, and his shoulders,” Jones’ the suit states.

Jones “was extremely uncomfortable and proceeded to lean away from Mr. Gooding Jr.,” the lawsuit says. “He rejected his advances and Mr. Gooding Jr. did not stop until Mr. Jones forcibly pushed him away.”

Attorneys for Jones said in the lawsuit that the incident happened on a yacht rented by Combs in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2023. It accused Gooding of sexual assault and misconduct.

Gooding has not been charged with any crime.

In a different case, Gooding pleaded guilty in 2022 to a misdemeanor charge that he forcibly kissed a worker at a New York nightclub in 2018.

He completed alcohol and behavior modification counseling, was then allowed to withdraw that plea and then pleaded guilty to a lesser harassment violation, resolving the case with no jail time .

On Monday, federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations executed search warrants at properties belonging to Combs in Los Angeles and Miami, sources told NBC News.

There has been no information connecting Gooding to any of the searches, and it is not clear what the searches entailed.

Combs has been accused of misconduct in civil cases filed by four women. One was quickly settled and three are pending . Combs has denied the allegations in those lawsuits.

“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth,” he said in a December statement.

Jones said in the lawsuit that he worked on Combs’ latest album, “The Love Album: Off the Grid.” The album was released in September 2023 and was nominated for a Grammy.

The suit alleges , in part, that Motown Records, and others, benefited from his work on the album, but that he was not fully compensated.

Monday’s amended complaint filed by attorneys for Jones contains a declaration by former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam who it appears to show her willing to testify about the contract involving “The Love Album.”

A spokesperson for Universal Music Group, which owns Motown Records, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit seeks damages, including punitive damages, but does not specify an amount, seeking amounts to be determined at trial.

Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

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David and Victoria Beckham get cozy heading to new $20M yacht with family in Miami

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David Beckham and Victoria Beckham enjoyed a glamorous family outing Wednesday aboard a multimillion-dollar mega-yacht in Miami.

The couple — who has a reported combined net worth of $514 million — was photographed riding a dinghy with their four kids , sons Brooklyn, 25, Romeo, 21, and Cruz, 19, and daughter Harper, 12, as well as their daughter-in-law, Nicola Peltz.

They were all dressed casually, with David, 48, and Victoria, 49, strategically shielding themselves from the hot sun under stylish hats as they made their way onto the larger boat.

The massive silver vessel — which is a Riva 130 Bellissima Yacht — measures close to 40 meters and 130 feet, and was built at the company’s La Spezia shipyard in Italy.

It accommodates up to 10 guests in five suites, which is plenty of room for the entire Beckham clan.

Officina Italiana Design worked on the interior, and its features include a beach club, WiFi and air conditioning.

We’re told David and Beckham own the lavish boat which boasts a $20 million price tag and is personalized with the word “Seven” — Harper’s middle name — written across it. The pair previously had a smaller Riva Argo 90 , which cost $6.5 million.

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The Beckhams have been spending the majority of their time in Miami since February 2014 when David was offered an opportunity to take part in the Magic City’s MLS team, Inter Miami.

The retired soccer star has since brought legend Lionel Messi on board his team, which further incentivized stars like Kim Kardashian and LeBron James to make it out to games .

Aside from business, David makes sure to enjoy plenty of quality time with Victoria all over Miami.

Page Six exclusively reported last July that the former Manchester United player and the Spice Girls member dropped more than $2,000 on a date night at the luxe LPM Restaurant and Bar in Brickell.

We were told at the time that the duo and their guests were very gracious toward the waitstaff.

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When the Beckhams are not in South Florida, they spend a lot of time in their native UK.

The power couple owns a $40 million Victorian townhouse in London that is located in the ultra-luxurious Holland Park area of Kensington — also known as “Millionaire’s Row.”

The lavish property reportedly features six bedrooms, an indoor pool, a wine cellar, a fashion runway, a gym and an at-home nail salon.

However, it appears David has grown quite fond of his new home in Miami.

He said during an event in 2018, “I could have gone to another city, but this was always my city. It’s always where I wanted to have our team.”

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