who owns the ulysses yacht

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The Truth About Ulysses Yacht and Who Owns It

Many millionaires and billionaires like to straddle the fence between being in the public eye but also being very secretive about their public lives and Mark Zuckerberg is no different. In 2017 there were numerous articles published about him purchasing a yacht called Ulysses that were soon followed by denials that he had purchased the yacht. So did he purchase the yacht? And if not, who does own the Ulysses? Let’s take a look!

History of the Yacht Ulysses

The yacht Ulysses was built by Kleven Shipyard out of Norway in 2015 and was the largest expedition yacht they’d ever built. It was launched in 2016. It was first owned by New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart and then rumor has it that Zuckerberg purchased it in September 2017. However, a spokesman for Zuckerberg posted on Facebook shortly thereafter saying Zuckerberg didn’t buy Ulysses and didn’t own any yacht at all.

The story originally came from a Turkish newspaper and, since its publication in September 2017, has spread to numerous other websites that essentially rehash the original details about the explorer yacht in general with Mark Zuckerberg’s name attached. 

However, other sources indicate that the yacht was indeed sold in 2017 but not to Zuckerberg. Instead, the buyer was listed as Russian billionaire Yuri Milner. After purchasing the yacht he renamed it Andromeda.

Milner has also denied ownership but the difference between his claims and those of Zuckerberg is that Milner has reportedly been seen on the yacht and the address registered for the company that owns the yacht is the same address as one of Milner’s companies. So it seems likely that Milner is the owner, and certainly much more likely than Zuckerberg.

So Who Is the Ulysses Yacht Owner?

Based on that, it seems very likely that this is not Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht, but Yuri Milner’s. That said, there are so many results that come up when you Google this yacht or Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht, it’s good to have something to clarify the issue. The idea of billionaire yachts has been big news for some time with stories about the yachts belonging to people like Jeff Bezos , Bill Gates and even Michael Jordan making headlines.

And with that, we can still dive into what we know about the yacht aside from who owns it.

Features of the Andromeda

Like any superyacht, there are some remarkable features onboard Ulysses/Andromeda that make it a real standout. Part of the confusion over getting to the bottom of this comes from the name change from Ulysses to Andromeda. There are actually several yachts bearing these names and Graeme Hart has named at least 3 different yachts Ulysses over the years as well. That aside, let’s take a tour of what we know about the yacht Andromeda/Ulysses features, even if it’s hard to pinpoint who is enjoying all these amenities.

There’s a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. The deck is teak. Because it’s a yacht designed for exploration it’s a lot more rugged and durable than the average pleasure boat. It’s able to handle extreme weather and is ice-classed to allow for arctic travel. 

Length and Dimensions of the Andromeda

To start with some technical specs, let’s look at the yacht by the numbers.

• 107.4 meters in length or 352’4”
• 18 meter beam or 59’1”
• 5.01 meter draft or 16’5”
• 5,937 gross tonnage
• Crew capacity of 43
• Passenger capacity of 30

Interior of the Andromeda

To start with, the most noticeable features across the 6 decks of the Andromeda is both a helipad and a helicopter hangar for when you need to get back to shore double quick. There’s a large swimming pool on board for those not into salt water and for those who are, a tender garage that is loaded with all kinds of water toys. This includes a nearly 70 foot tender and also a pair of custom cranes to help launch and store it on board. This tender is actually a two-deck vessel in its own right so, essentially, the Andromeda has its own small yacht. 

There are surf boards, seabobs, flyboards and more available and that’s just for the water. If you want to go to shore the garage also holds motorcycles and even SUVs for travel on land. 

You can find a jacuzzi tub on deck as well, and tons of sun pads for lounging.

The interior was designed by British design house H2 Yacht Design. The look is said to be clean and modern but also luxurious. Rumor has it that the space inside cost about €20,000 per square meter. There is a cinema located on board with a Sony 300ES projector. The system comes with full surround sound and 3D projection.

Elsewhere there’s a luxurious full dining room, a wine cellar, a spacious lounge area for socializing, pool and parties. Guests can relax with a plunge pool, sauna, steam room, massage room and gym located to the aft of the main deck.

One deck of the yacht is reserved as a private owner’s deck and features not just luxury quarters but also a full-width lounge and a private balcony. 

Quarters on the Andromeda

There is room for 30 passengers on board and this is said to be split among 15 guest rooms.The crew is also purported to have 15 rooms to split though obviously less spaciously if it can handle 43. 

Guest cabins have floor to ceiling windows allowing for incredible ocean views. The master cabin, with its full beam width, has a panoramic view to the aft of the boat.

How Fast is the Andromeda?

Powered by a total of 6 Caterpillar DE 3516 engines, the Andromeda packs a punch. She has a total listed power of 6660 kw which works out to close to 10,000 horsepower. Despite that, she’s certainly not a speed demon. The top speed has been recorded as 17 knots. Her cruising speed is 15 knots. Her range is 8,500 nautical miles.

How Much Did the Andromeda Cost?

This one is a bit of a tough nut to crack. Initial stories about Zuckerberg buying the motor yacht quoted the price as $150 million sometimes and $195 million other times. But how reliable can either of those be if they didn’t even get the buyer right? Others stated the yacht was worth $195 million but Zuckerberg purchased it for $150 million. 

In 2022, Forbes reported on the yacht in the Caymans and at that time they said the yacht was valued at $129 million. So, with some depreciation, the $150 million figure could have been correct? Or it could have just been speculation much the same as the idea that Zuckerberg bought it. But, in any event, the $129 million valuation seems to be as accurate a number as we can currently get. 

To further confuse you, more recent articles about the Andromeda, which still acknowledge it as being formerly owned by Graeme Hart and having all the same features, list it as being a $250 million vessel.

The annual cost of keeping the yacht running has been estimated at anywhere from $15 million to $25 million.

Can You Charter the Andromeda?

The Andromeda is currently anchored in the Seychelles but it’s not available for charter and Milner, or whoever may own the yacht, is not very open about letting others on board as you can imagine with all this confusion and secrecy. 

The Bottom Line

The yacht once known as Ulysses is now called Andromeda. It is one of the largest and most impressive luxury yachts in the water. Though there is a persistent rumor that it was purchased by Mark Zuckerberg in 2017 it does not seem to be true and, in fact, Zuckerberg doesn’t seem to own a yacht at all. Instead, the vessel seems to have been purchased by Russian-Israeli tech billionaire Yuri Milner though he too has denied ownership. That said, some evidence does suggest it really is his.

The yacht, which cost anywhere from $150 million to $250 million features a helipad, luxury accommodations, room for 30 guests and a number of toys for those on board to use. It is not available for charter. 

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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ULYSSES Yacht – World-class $250 Million Superyacht

The owner commissioned the extraordinary superyacht with Norway-based shipyard Kleven.

She features exterior designs from H2 Yacht Design and naval architecture Oscar Mike Limited and Marin Teknikk AS.

The fantastic explorer yacht was delivered in 2018, replacing the owner’s previous 107m superyacht, ANDROMEDA.

ULYSSES yacht interior

The striking interior of the ULYSSES Yacht features design from British company H2 Yacht Design .

ULYSSES has accommodation for 30 guests in 15 cabins across the expansive size of the yacht. The yachting experience is luxurious, with a crew of 48 accommodated in 24 cabin spaces.

She has five spacious decks and features a massive shaded pool area with a luxurious lounging area.

The ULYSSES yacht is loaded up with tenders, including a custom 21-meter Princess 68 yacht. She also features a helipad and hangar for her Bell 429 helicopter.

The helicopter is the perfect way to ferry guests on and off the vessel and explore the surrounding areas.

There is generous storage for large tenders, toys, and land vehicles. The Jacuzzi and sun pads are along the stern where guests can take in sweeping views.

ULYSSES features a large swimming platform that is the perfect spot for guests to relax beside the water and take a dip in the ocean.

The social areas are complemented by a wine bar, cinema, sauna, and a large gym for the many guests to make use of.

The exterior of the ULYSSES features rugged designs and was delivered to her owner in 2018.

The builder was Kleven Maritime AS from Norway and features naval architecture and exterior design from Oscar Mike Limited and Marin Teknikk AS .

Her imposing exterior features a dark blue hull in steel and a white superstructure in aluminum.

The incredible yacht has an impressive exterior that reflects the luxurious interior of the vessel. She was most recently refitted in 2020.

Specifications

The 116.15m ULYSSES has a beam of 18m and a draft of 5m. The vessel has a displacement of 6862 gross tons and a range of 8000 nautical miles.

She has 2 Caterpillar engines. Her top speed is 12 knots, and she reaches a cruising speed of 10 knots.

She is classed as an expedition vessel and is the largest expedition yacht in the world, overtaking LUNA Yacht’s position as number one. The $250 million superyacht has an annual running cost of $20 – $30 million.

ULYSSES in Gibraltar

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107m mega yacht Ulysses sold to new owner

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Written by Maria Korotaeva

107m/351ft luxury yacht ULYSSES from Norwegian shipyard Kleven has been sold to a new owner after a year on the market. Built in 2015, Dörries Maritime and Marin Teknikk were both involved with the creation of this exceptional superyacht. Oscar Mike was responsible for the exterior styling while H2 Yacht Design outfitted her interiors.

The previous owner of ULYSSES, Graeme Hart, put the yacht on the market in 2016, asking US $195 million. The reachest man in New Zealand, Hart has owned a number of luxury superyachts, including Grand Rusalina (ex Ulysses) built by Trinity Yachts . Another mega yacht to soon join his feel is Ulysses 116m,  which is currently undergoing sea trials and is due for delivery in 2018.

M/Y ULYSSES was spotted in May off the coast of Gibraltar following a refit before the Mediterranean yachting season. Among the changes were a newly repainted and faired hull, new crew cabins, a new luxury tender and balconies added to the VIP suites.

Guest cabin

Ulysses – outdoor living space

Designed as an explorer yacht, ULYSSES is able to cruise for long periods without refueling. Up to 30 guests can live aboard, surrounded by amenities for relaxation and exploration that include a swimming pool and a helipad.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "107m mega yacht Ulysses sold to new owner".

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Graeme Hart $265m superyacht Ulysses sold

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Ulysses, Kiwi billionaire Graeme Hart's superyacht, has been sold.

After being on the market for over a year, the 107-metre Norwegian-built explorer yacht was sold for an undisclosed sum, according to Superyacht Times.

International yacht brokers Burgess and Fraser had confirmed they acted for both Hart and the mystery new owner.

"An announcement regarding the sale is not expected," Superyacht Times said. It had been listed on the market at $265 million.

Built in 2015 by Norwegian offshore specialists Kleven, the vessel comes equipped with a pool and jacuzzi deck, movie room, pool table and watersport equipment including jet skis and a twin-hulled vessel.

Ulysses, however, has never been to New Zealand, and is currently moored in Malaga, Spain. This is Hart's second superyacht named Ulysses - the first was a 57.6m Trinity, which is now registered in the Cayman Islands and renamed Grand Russalina.

Hart, 62, was named in March as the 133rd richest person in the world.

This month, Forbes put his real time net worth at more than $14 billion.

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Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook bought 107 meter superyacht Ulysses

The founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg purchased an ultra-luxury yacht named “Ulysses” for $150 million in Monaco Yacht Show in September, which is normally listed at $195 million.

The yacht Ulysses has a private helicopter, a separate 24-meter tender boat, an extra 4x4 car and a motorcycle. Mark Zuckerberg, 10 th reachest person in the world with an estimated wealth of $75 billion, saw 107-meter yacht Ulysses at the yacht show in Monaco and bought the yacht later on without making any advertisement by a secret. Zuckerberg made a huge discount on the price of the yacht just because the yacht is for sale more than a year.  The estimated monthly cost of the yacht is $2 million.

Zuckerberg with his wife Priscilla Chan, who has been using the yacht Ulysses for the last five months, were seen in the Pacific lately.

Mark Zuckerberg purchased the yacht from Graeme Hart, a billionaire from New Zealand known for his strong passion for luxury yachts. Graeme Hart was born in 1955, worked as a bus driver and now has a fortune worth $8 billion. According to the Forbes 500 ranking, Hart, who owns the investment firm Rank Group, is the world’s 214th richest person.

Jeff Bezos, the 4th richest person in the world, has also a new boat under cosntruction. You can find news about it here: Jeff Bezos is constructing a 127-meter sailing yacht at Oceanco

The yacht Ulysses was built at the Kleven shipyard in Norway. The 107-meter Ulysses has a 24-meter tender vessel, a helicopter with its own hangar, ATVs and 4x4 vehicle. The ultra-luxury yacht can sail halfway around the world without refueling and is designed to endure the toughest weather conditions, including the arctic circles and the world’s hottest regions.

Ulysses can host up to 30 people in 15 private suits. The yacht has 43 crews and 20 rooms for crew members. It can reach a maximum speed of 15 knots.

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The superyachts owned by tech moguls

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to join the exclusive club of yacht-owning tech tycoons as the rumoured owner of Oceanco's mighty 127m sailing yacht . Though it should come as no surprise - other big names in tech such as the late Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Paul Allen have been responsible for some of the biggest and most ground-breaking superyachts in the world...

The 127-metre Oceanco sailing yacht Koru, formerly Y721, was launched and reportedly delivered to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in April 2023. This three-masted schooner, meaning “new beginnings” in Maori, with an expected 33000 GT and a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, is the largest in the world and the longest built in the Netherlands at Oceanco. Knocking Lürssen's Eos , owned by Biller and Diane von Furstenburg, off the top spot, Koru harnesses design similarities with her black hull, white superstructure and classic lines. However, the intricate gold paintwork, scarlet bootstrap and elaborate figurehead on the bow particularly set her apart.

Larry Ellison

American business magnate Larry Ellison is the co-founder of the billion-dollar computer tech corporation Oracle. In 2004, he commissioned the 138-metre Lürssen superyacht Rising Sun (pictured), which stands today as the 15th largest yacht in the world. It was also the last yacht that ever came from the drawing boards of legendary designed Jon Bannenberg, sporting a military-esque profile with a lean destroyer-type hull and extensive use of structural glass . Rising Sun boasts 8,000m² of living space including a wine cellar and basketball court, with a crew of 45. One of her tenders, a catamaran, even carries the yacht’s 4x4 vehicle ashore. 

Ellison later sold the yacht to media mogul David Geffen and has since hosted a parade of Hollywood's glitterati on board including Leonardo DiCaprio, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey – to name a few. 

In 2011, Ellison appeared to downsize and took delivery of the 88-metre Feadship Musashi . Not unlike Rising Sun in its appearance, structural glass features heavily throughout with a central glass lift, surrounded by a stainless steel and glass staircase that passes through every deck.

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The late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is responsible for two of the most iconic superyachts in the world. At 126-metres in length, Octopus is perhaps his most famous. Built by Lürssen in 2003, this ice-classed superyacht was designed for extended cruising to the most remote locations on earth with a range of 12,500 nautical miles. Home to a helicopter garage, drive-in tender garage, six tenders, and a submarine, she packs a serious punch within her 9,932GT – not to mention the cinema, swimming pool, recording studio, basketball court and spa. At the end of 2019, she joined the market for the very first time , having completed an eight-month refit at Blohm+Voss, and remains the benchmark for exploration yachting.

Tatoosh is another honourable mention and was built by German shipyard Nobiskrug in 2000, three years prior to the delivery of Octopus . At 92-metres, she's smaller than her successor, but to describe Tatoosh as "small" would be a severe understatement. Highlights include a six-foot-deep swimming pool, a pair of helipads, a crew of 30, and a custom 12-metre Hinckley powerboat that she carries on her top deck. Tatoosh is also listed for sale following a refit earlier this year. 

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The 78-metre Feadship Venus was built for the late Apple boss and founder Steve Jobs. Built under the codename Project Aqua, Venus was launched to international fanfare in 2012, heralded for its extensive use of glass and pared-back design courtesy of Philippe Starck . Innovative features include a false top deck that conceals the communication and television receivers from view and a passarelle that, when opened, looks like the charging port of an iPhone. Venus ’s interior details have been closely guarded since its launch. Sadly, Jobs died a year before the yacht was delivered.

Charles Simonyi

Charles Simonyi led the team that built the first edition of the Microsoft Office software suite and was rumoured to have previously owned Lürssen’s iconic 71-metre SKAT .  Nearly two decades after her launch in 2002, she joined the market for the first time and now Simonyi is thought to have upgraded to the 89-metre Lürssen Norn . Both yachts, penned by Espen Onion, share similar design features. Standout features include an alfresco cinema and adapted depth pool floor with dance floor. Norn was delivered in May 2023.

Sergey Brin

Google co-founder Sergey Brin reportedly owns the high-speed SilverYachts superyacht named Dragonfly , after Google’s once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. Delivered in 2009, the 73.3-metre Dragonfly was hailed as the fastest, most fuel-efficient long-range cruising superyacht on the water with a transatlantic range at 22 knots and a fuel consumption of only 360 litres per hour at 18 knots, extending her range to 4,500 nautical miles. Dragonfly is said to have a dance floor and open-air movie theatre on board. The vessel was applauded for its contribution to the disaster relief effort in Vanuatu after Hurricane Pam devastated the island in 2015. The crew reportedly moved 62 metric tons of freshwater ashore, treated over 250 patients, facilitated three medical evacuations, and built shelters in multiple villages and cleared numerous helicopter landing zones for ongoing support.

Google’s billionaire co-founder Larry Page purchased the 60-metre explorer yacht conversion Senses from a New Zealand businessman Sir Douglas Myers back in 2011. The globe-trotting superyacht features interiors by Philippe Starck and can accommodate a total of 12 guests on board, with primary guests reaping the benefits of the master suite's gyro-stabilised bed. Senses also houses an exceptional toy box with three high-speed tenders, six wave runners, a jet board and a JetLev. According to the New Zealand Herald, Senses is currently undergoing a refit in Whangārei, New Zealand, after being sold to an unknown buyer in 2020. 

Barry Diller

The world’s largest three-masted schooner – also the third largest sailing yacht in the world – is owned by fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg and her husband Barry Diller, chairman and senior executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and Expedia Group. The 92.92-metre sailing yacht, named Eos , was built in Germany by Lürssen and delivered in 2006 with a trio of masts that stand 61-metres tall. The sailing yacht has hosted the couple's star-studded group of friends including Andy Cohen, Gayle King, Bradley Cooper, Harry Styles and Karlie Kloss. The interiors were designed by Francois Catroux, who Vanity Fair named as “the super-rich's favourite interior designer" in 2016.

Mark Zuckerburg

The 107-metre Kleven superyacht Andromeda was built for serial superyacht owner Graeme Hart and delivered under the name Ulysses . In 2017, a year after its launch, rumours began circulating that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg had purchased the rugged, six-deck explorer (although a Facebook spokesperson was quick to stamp out the rumours and released a statement denying the claims). Andromeda can carry 36 guests and is equipped with an impressive inventory of toys and tenders, including six motorbikes, two ATVs, a helicopter and an amphibious rib. Five years after her launch, Andromeda still ranks among the largest explorer yachts in the world . 

Eric Schmidt

The former Google ceo Eric Schmidt backed out of the purchase of the abandoned 81.3-metre Oceanco Alfa Nero but has been said to have moved onto become the new owner of a 95-metre Lürssen. Kismet was sold in September 2023 to the billionaire as part of one of the biggest brokerage deal of the year. With the details shrouded in secrecy the yacht is now aptly known as Whisper . Espen Onio was responsible for her iconic exterior while inside was thanks to  Reymond Langton , achieving the original brief from the previous commissioning owner Shahid Khan of “caviar and champagne.” Standout details include the hi-tech, art deco saloon, a private observation platform and the Persian-inspired spa area.

The co-founder and former ceo of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, has been rumoured to own the 99.9-metre Feadship , Moonrise. The yacht’s clean and strong lines, penned by Chris Bottoms from Studio de Voogt , won the highly competitive class of best displacement motor yachts above 3,000 GT in the World Superyacht Awards 2021. Features include the helicopter landing deck and modern interiors by Remi Tessier . Accommodation is for up to 16 guests, and there are 32 crew members onboard Moonrise to attend to the guests' every need. The Ukrainian-American mogul is also said to own the accompanying support vessel Nebula.

Evan Speigel

The Silicone Valley ceo, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel has been reportedly said to own the 94.8-metre Feadship Bliss. Delivered in 2021 the motor yacht penned by Feadship's Studio De Voogt Naval Architects has most recently been spotted cruising Auckland in September 2023. Spiegel is rumoured to be Feadship's younger client. Bliss can accommodate up to 18 guests across nine staterooms; however little else is known about the 2983 GT yacht.

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Did Mark Zuckerberg Buy a $150 Million Yacht?

A turkish web site published, then deleted, a quickly-debunked story about facebook's chief executive officer., arturo garcia, published jan. 19, 2018.

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An English-language Turkish newspaper published — then quickly scrubbed — a 18 January 2018 story reporting that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had made an extravagant purchase in Monaco.

According to the report, which ran in the Hurriyet Daily News, Zuckerberg secretly bought the "super yacht," Ulysses , from a reclusive New Zealand businessman, Graeme Hart, for $150 million in October 2017.

Though the sale itself was first reported by news outlets, the buyer was not announced. However, shortly after the story was published it was quickly debunked by a spokesperson for Zuckerberg:

The reports related to Mark purchasing a yacht are completely inaccurate as he did not purchase a yacht.

The spokesperson later added:

Mark did not buy it, does not own a yacht and was not involved in the sale.

But instead of updating or correcting its original reporting, the Hurriyet Daily News instead deleted it. However, some web sites continue to feature posts stating that the sale went through.

We contacted both Facebook and the Daily News seeking comment.

New Zealand Herald.    "Graeme Hart $265m Superyacht Ulysses Sold."    15 October 2017.

 Matney, Lucas.    "No, Mark Zuckerberg Didn't Buy a Giant Yacht."     TechCrunch.    18 January 2018.

Ehrenkranz, Melanie.    "Nope, It Looks Like Zuckerberg Bought No Yacht [Corrected]."    Gizmodo.     18 January 2018.

By Arturo Garcia

Arturo Garcia is a former writer for Snopes.

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The new owner of explorer superyacht Ulysses is Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg?

According to various news outlets

According to Turkish news outlet Hurriyet and Norwegian Dagens Naeringsliv , the new owner of explorer superyacht Ulysses in no other than Facebook mogul Mark Zuckerberg.

Despite these reports, the identity of the new owner remains unconfirmed.

Built in Norway by Kleven Verft shipyard, the 107m superyacht was previously owned by Graeme Hart, a top businessman from New Zealand.

With interiors styled by H2 Yacht Design, Ulysses can accommodate 30 guests in 15 suites. It also includes an entire deck dedicated to the owner. The crew quarters allows for a staff of 42 people.

The vessel has a helicopter landing platform and hangar plus a professional cinema with surround sound system. Two elevators are serving all decks. A heated swimming pool, a beach club, gym, spa and a large garage filled with water toys are also available on board.

The sale was announced in October last year, after one year on the market. She was listed for sale at an asking price of $195 million.

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Feadship superyacht ULYSSES embarks on sea trials

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By Anna Ingles   4 December 2023

The majestic superyacht ULYSSES , formerly known as Project 1011, has recently been observed embarking on her sea trials, showcasing her impressive 102.6-meter (336'6") profile across the waves.

Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design is responsible for the vessel's sophisticated exterior and interior design, while her naval architecture is a testament to the expertise of Azure Yacht Design and Naval Architecture. The Feadship superyacht boasts a substantial gross tonnage of 2,999, providing luxurious accommodation for up to 20 guests across ten staterooms, with additional quarters for a dedicated crew of up to 30.

With opulence at the forefront, motor yacht ULYSSES offers extensive deck areas and lavish amenities that include a serene winter garden, four Jacuzzis, an impressive swimming pool, and a convenient touch-and-go helipad. The yacht's design incorporates 1,100 square meters of exterior glass, featuring 20 sliding doors and 12 glass windbreaks that bathe the interior in abundant natural light.

Superyacht ULYSSES stands as a testament to Feadship's reputation for constructing top-tier luxury yachts. Anticipation is high for her inaugural voyage, although it is unclear at this time whether she will be joining the global yacht charter fleet .

For further details on this luxurious yacht, and other Feadship yacht charters , please reach out to your preferred yacht charter broker  today for details on availability and yacht rental costs. 

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Why the U.S. put a $1 million bounty on a Russian yacht’s alleged manager

On Sept. 3, 2020, the staff of a $90 million yacht placed an order with a U.S. company for a set of luxury bathrobes that came to $2,624.35.

For roughly two years before that, according to federal prosecutors, the yacht’s management had been falsely claiming it was working for a boat named “Fanta.” But the luxury bathrobes came embroidered with a monogram that, prosecutors said, revealed the yacht’s true identity: “Tango.”

That was a problem, officials say in court papers, because Tango was owned by a Russian billionaire under U.S. sanctions, and doing business on his behalf violated federal law.

Late last month, U.S. authorities unveiled a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and or conviction of the man they say was running the yacht staff and orchestrated the deception with the robes — Vladislav Osipov, 52, a Swiss-based businessman from Russia. In a new indictment , federal prosecutors say Osipov misled U.S. banks and companies into doing business with the Tango yacht despite the sanctions on the Russian owner, whom the Justice Department has identified as billionaire Viktor Vekselberg .

Osipov has denied the allegations. Osipov’s attorney has said that the government has failed to demonstrate that Vekselberg owned the yacht, and that its management was therefore not a sanctions violation.

The reward offer for Osipov reflects the latest stage in the evolution of the West’s broader financial war against Russia two years into the war in Ukraine, as the United States and its allies increasingly target intermediaries accused of enabling Russian oligarchs to circumvent sanctions.

Many Russians close to President Vladimir Putin have been under sanctions dating to 2014, when Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and sent proxy forces into that country’s eastern Donbas region. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, President Biden vowed to deal a “crushing blow” with a barrage of new sanctions on financial institutions, industries, business executives and others tied to the Kremlin. But roughly two years later, Russia’s economy has proved surprisingly resilient after the nation poured tens of billions of dollars into ramping up its military industry. Moscow has also worked around the sanctions, finding new third parties to supply it with critical military and industrial hardware, as well as countries beyond Europe to buy its oil.

Now, the West is trying to increase the reach of its sanctions by digging deeper into Russian supply chains. Late last month, the Treasury Department announced more than 500 new sanctions targeting Russia , primarily on military and industrial suppliers. The Justice Department also announced charges against two U.S.-based “facilitators” of a Russian state banker who is under sanction, as well as the guilty plea of a dual national based in Atlanta who was accused of laundering $150 million through bank accounts and shell companies on behalf of Russian clients.

Prioritizing criminal charges against — and the arrests of — Western employees of Russia’s elites represents a new escalation of the U.S. financial war against Putin, experts say. One Moscow businessman, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said many influential Russians are concerned about the arrest of two associates of Andrey Kostin, the head of VTB, Russia’s second-biggest state bank. These associates, Vadim Wolfson and Gannon Bond, were charged with helping Kostin evade sanctions by maintaining a $12 million property in Aspen, Colo., for Kostin’s benefit while concealing his ownership. Kostin has said that the charges of sanctions evasion against him are “unfounded” and that he has not violated any laws . Bond has pleaded not guilty; Wolfson hasn’t made an initial court appearance yet.

Wolfson, also known as Vadim Belyaev, had been a Russian billionaire until the Russian government took over his bank in 2017. Bond, 49, is a U.S. citizen from Edgewater, N.J. For all Russians living abroad and working with people in Russia, the threat of criminal charges is a much more worrying prospect than the sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department last month against hundreds of individuals and entities, the businessman said, in part because sanctions are far easier to dodge than criminal charges.

“What you have seen through today’s public announcements are our efforts at really targeting the facilitators who possess the requisite skill set, access, connections that allow the Russian war machine [and] the Russian elites to continually have access to Western services and Western goods,” David Lim, co-director of the Justice Department’s KleptoCapture task force, which is tasked with enforcing U.S. sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, told reporters last month.

Thad McBride, an international trade partner at the law firm Bass Berry & Sims, said the crackdown on intermediaries reflected the natural evolution of the U.S. sanctions campaign in response to Russian adjustments.

“It seems to me they have gone through a comprehensive list of the oligarchs, and you can debate whether or not it’s had a meaningful impact on the Russian war effort,” McBride said. “Because they’re getting smarter about who’s who, they’re finding other people who play meaningful roles in these transactions, even though they’re not showing up in the headlines.”

The charges against Osipov related to his alleged management of the Tango yacht illustrate the mounting potential consequences for people in Europe and the United States who attempt to do business with Russians targeted by Western allies, as well as the opaque structures allegedly employed by those seeking to evade sanctions.

With a net worth estimated by Forbes in 2021 at $9 billion, Vekselberg, 66, has long drawn scrutiny from the West — and sought to safeguard his wealth. He made his initial fortune in aluminum and oil in Russia’s privatization of the 1990s and then expanded into industrial and financial assets in Europe, the United States and Africa, with Putin’s blessing. In addition to the yacht, federal prosecutors say, Vekselberg acquired $75 million worth of properties, including apartments on New York’s Park Avenue and an estate in the Long Island town of Southampton.

Vekselberg, who declined to comment for this article, has not been criminally charged by the Justice Department. In a 2019 interview with the Financial Times, he denounced the sanctions as arbitrary and harmful for international business, saying he had been targeted just because he was Russian and rich and knows Putin.

In April 2018, the Treasury Department under the Trump administration sanctioned Vekselberg and six other Russian oligarchs as part of broader financial penalties over the Kremlin’s invasion of Crimea, support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Vekselberg was also targeted for his work for the Kremlin as chairman of the Skolkovo Foundation, an attempt to create Russia’s version of the Silicon Valley — evidence that appeared to undermine the Russian businessman’s claims that he operated independently of the Kremlin.

But with Vekselberg’s payments monitored by U.S. banks, according to the federal indictment , Osipov used shell companies and intermediaries to avert the bite of sanctions. Vekselberg kept other major assets out of the reach of U.S. authorities by making use of the Treasury Department’s 50 percent ownership rule, which stipulates that it is illegal to transact with firms only if an owner under sanction controls more than 50 percent of the business.

For example, a month after Treasury imposed sanctions on Vekselberg in April 2018, his Renova Innovation Technologies sold its 48.5 percent stake in Swiss engineering giant Sulzer to Tiwel Holding AG, a group that is nevertheless still “beneficially owned” — meaning, owned in practice — by Vekselberg through Columbus Trust, a Cayman Islands trust, according to Sulzer’s corporate filing. Vekselberg’s longtime right-hand man at Renova, Alexei Moskov, replaced one of Vekselberg’s direct representatives on the board. Moskov told The Washington Post that he stepped down from all his executive positions at Renova Group in 2018 after U.S. sanctions were first imposed and from that moment ceased to be Vekselberg’s employee.

The attempts to circumvent the sanctions appear to have found some success in the U.S. legal system. Columbus Nova, a U.S.-based asset management fund controlling more than $100 million in assets in the U.S. financial and tech industry, is run by Vekselberg’s cousin, Andrew Intrater. The firm battled for more than two years to lift a freeze on Columbus Nova’s assets, imposed by Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control because of the sanctions on Vekselberg, and won, reaching a settlement agreement with the Treasury Department. After renaming itself Sparrow Capital LLC, Columbus Nova successfully argued that Intrater — not Vekselberg — owns the fund. Intrater argued that the company was 100 percent owned by U.S. citizens and that no individual or entity under sanction held any interest in it. Intrater said Columbus Nova had earned fees for managing investment funds owned by Renova. He said he had repeatedly told Treasury he would not distribute any funds to Vekselberg.

Now Osipov, the alleged manager of Vekselberg’s $90 million yacht, is attempting a similar argument as U.S. authorities seek his arrest on charges of bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and violations of sanctions law.

The federal indictment states that the Tango was owned by a shell corporation registered in the British Virgin Islands that was in turn owned by several other companies. The Virgin Islands shell company, authorities say, was controlled by Osipov, who also served in senior roles for multiple companies controlled by Vekselberg. U.S. officials also say Vekselberg ultimately controlled the other companies that owned the Virgin Islands shell company.

According to the indictment, a Tango official instructed a boat management company in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, to use a false name for the yacht — “Fanta” — to disguise its true identity from U.S. financial institutions and firms, which try to avoid doing business with an entity or person under sanction.

Working at Osipov’s direction, according to the indictment, employees for Tango bought more than $8,000 worth of goods for the yacht that were unwittingly but illegally processed by U.S. firms and U.S. financial institutions, including navigation software, leather basket magazine holders provided by a bespoke silversmith, and web and computing services. The management company running Tango, run by Osipov, also paid invoices worth more than $180,000 to a U.S. internet service provider, federal prosecutors say.

The Tango was seized by the FBI and Spanish authorities in the Mediterranean not long after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and Osipov was first indicted last year. The owner of the Spanish yacht management company hired by Osipov, Richard Masters, 52, of Britain, was criminally charged last year by federal prosecutors with conspiracy to defraud the United States and violating federal sanctions law. A request for comment sent to Masters’ firm was not returned.

But in recent court documents, Osipov’s attorney argues that the yacht was not more than 50 percent owned by Vekselberg, and that the government hasn’t demonstrated it was. Barry J. Pollack, an attorney at Harris, St. Laurent and Wechsler, also says the government never warned Osipov of its novel and “unconstitutional” application of federal sanctions law.

“The government points to no precedent that supports its extraordinary interpretation and cites no authority that allows the traditional rules of statutory construction to be turned on their head,” Pollack wrote in a defense filing. The filing adds: “[Osipov] is not a fugitive because he did not engage in any of the allegedly criminal conduct while in the United States, has never resided in the United States, did not flee from the United States, and has not concealed himself.”

Still, the State Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program has said it will provide up to $1 million for information leading to Osipov’s arrest, warning that he may visit Herrliberg, Switzerland; Majorca, Spain; or Moscow.

The case demonstrates the extent of the U.S. commitment to tighten the screws on those seen as aiding Russian elites, even if they themselves are not closely tied to the Kremlin.

“When DOJ levels legal action against an individual or entity, they have quite a bit of evidence, especially because the threshold to press charges for money-laundering and sanctions evasion is so high,” said Kim Donovan, director of the Economic Statecraft Initiative within the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center. “We’ve had quite a bit of experience targeting Russia directly, and what you’re starting to see is the U.S. go after the facilitators enabling sanctions evasion. That’s where the U.S. is focusing its efforts right now.”

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Cops pick up real estate magnate Patrick Carroll for psych evaluation after gun incident

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Page Six reported last week that police had descended on the Miami mansion of brash real estate mogul Patrick Carroll after reports of gunshots at his home. A photograph also emerged showing Carroll on his yacht holding what appeared to be an assault rifle.

Now police sources tell us that Carroll has been picked up by police under the Baker Act — a Florida law that allows authorities to take people in for psychiatric evaluation if family or friends are concerned about their welfare or the safety of others.

Cops told us that they took the Carroll Org founder — who has reportedly signed a deal to sell his company for some $80million — to a local hospital for evaluation.

They also told us that a judge has signed a “risk protection order,” which requires Carroll — a vocal gun enthusiast — to surrender any firearms that he owns within 72 hours.

Christopher Bess of Miami Beach Police told us that the investigation into Carroll’s alleged gun play is “ongoing.”

Carroll burst onto the scene a couple of years back, and has since been a regular in Page Six for his many appearances at celebrity studded events alongside the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Mayor Eric Adams, as well as his philanthropic efforts. (He has for several years run sneaker giveaway events, often handing out a million dollars worth of kicks to kids across the country).

He has also been involved in a number of headline-grabbing scrapes .

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