Russian Tycoon Sues to Free £38 Million Superyacht From UK’s Clutches
- Sergei Naumenko sues government over impounding of vessel
- Yacht owner denies UK minister claim that he’s friend of Putin
The Phi superyacht in London, on March 30, 2022.
Photographer: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images
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A £38 million ($47.8 million) superyacht, which was detained to great fanfare by the UK last year, is set to become the center of a London legal fight as its Russian tycoon owner fights to free the vessel.
Sergei Naumenko, a Russian property developer and food importer who isn’t on any sanctions list, sued the UK’s Department of Transport to lift the freeze and is seeking damages, according to a ruling published Wednesday. A full hearing to decide the fate of the yacht, called Phi, will take place later in July. The London court describes Naumenko as the beneficial owner of the yacht.