Superyachts owned by US-sanctioned Russian billionaires have arrived in the capital Male’ city, as Maldives doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the US.
The yacht, Clio, is owned by Oleg Deripaska, the founder of the Russian aluminum group Rusal who was sanctioned by the US in 2018. Clio dropped anchor off Male’, the capital of the Maldives, on Monday.
At least two other superyachts owned by Russian billionaires set sail for the Maldives shortly after NATO countries threatened to seize assets from sanctioned oligarchs, according to sources.
The US recently targeted 10 Russian oligarchs as part of a sweeping package of sanctions against Russia and seize the assets. The sanctions aim to financially cripple the country’s wealthiest members in retaliation for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
