| After US Seizes
Russian Oligarch Yacht Sealing
Opposed by Press Now Status
Without Sites
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
Dec 20 – On October 23, 2023
DOJ announced the filing of a
civil forfeiture complaint
against the Motor Yacht
Amadea, a 348-foot luxury
vessel worth over $300
million, beneficially owned by
Russian oligarch Suleiman
Kerimov and maintained in
violation of applicable
sanctions against Kerimov and
those acting on his
behalf.
Inner City Press has been
covering the case from that
beginning. On August 12, 2024
U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York
Judge Dale E. Ho held a
proceeding about where to
depose claimant Euard
Yurievich Khudainatov. Inner
City Press live tweeted it, thread.
Late on August
12, Inner City Press submitted
a letter seeking unsealing,
cc-ing the parties: "repeated
references were made to
documents in the case not
available to the press and
public, including the
Claimant's August 7, 2024
filing of an Expert
Declaration and Safe Passage
letter and the
Government's sealing of
Special Agent McGee's
declaration about, at a
minimum, why the US Government
opposes holding the deposition
in the UAE. Also, if not yet
unsealed, Exhibit Z to the
Jude Declaration. Dkt
136. These should be unsealed,
as should the other sealed
filings in this case,
including all "documents
placed in vault." In cases
where only a name could be
redacted - the expert witness,
for example (Dkt 151) the
entire filing should not be
sealed." Letter on
DocumentCloud here.
On August 13,
several documents were ordered
unsealed. For now, just
unsealed is DOJ's assertion
that Khudainatov "is the
longtime deputy to Igor
Sechin... the second-most
feared person in Russia."
Judge Ho cited Judge Ronnie
Abrams decision on Inner City
Press' successful - and
docketed - application to
unseal Paduch's suretors, as
before with SBF.
On August
22 the US Attorney's Office
docketed a letter saying it
will seal "declarations
regarding Suleiman Kerimov and
his relationship to Alisa
Gadzhieva."
On August
23, the US Attorney's Office
went further, sealing the
names of locations considered
for deposition, which they
previously discussed in an
open proceeding: Abu Dhabi,
Tunisia and the like. Now they
say "disclosing the identities
of the countries under
consideration would disclose
sensitive information
regarding the US's relations
with foreign governments.
Claimants consent to this
request" - but will the judge?
Does the public?
On December 20,
another conference, Inner City
Press covered it, thread:
OK - now at
ongoing, mostly sealed case in
which DOJ seeks to seize
superyacht "in rem," v
claimant Khudainatov. Judge
emphasizes that the Press is
present, cites possibility of
sealing a portion. But it
proceeds
Claimant's lawyer
it's said has a post-trial
sentencing in EDNY on January
17 - Boustani in the
Mozambique tuna bonds fraud
case? - so another day sought
for SDNY hearing on
this.
Judge Ho: Any
other days that week?
Judge:
Depositions could have
happened earlier, in places
the US said were OK... I don't
think we should sit for 2
weeks watching videos. Each
side file letters [Will these
letters, like far too much in
this case, be redacted or
sealed?]
More on X for
Subscribers here
& Substack here
The case is
United States of America v.
The M/Y Amadea, a Motor Yacht
Bearing International Maritime
Organization No. 1012531,
Including All Fixtures,
Fittings, Manuals, Stocks,
Stores, Inventories, and Each
Lifeboat, Tender, and Other
Appurtenance Thereto,
23-cv-9304 (Ho)
***
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