Posted on May 9, 2022
The Scheherazade is the twelfth largest yacht in the world. The 460 feet long yacht was delivered to the Tuscan port of Marina di Carrara, in 2020, according to luxurylaunches.com. It was seized by Italian authorities, Friday.
Luxurylaunches reports that Italian port authorities grew suspicious of a port departure after the Scheherazade refueled, resupplied, and refloated.
Italy’s economy minister hastily signed an order to seize the $700 million yacht after fears the ship would leave the Marina di Carrara port. Months after the yacht’s arrival to the Italian port in 2020, Italian authorities began investigating the ownership of the yacht.
The investigation into the yacht’s ownership yielded a web of companies that hid the actual owner of the yacht. Luxury Launches reports that and official statement from the Italian government only labels the currently unidentified owner as:
an individual threatened peace and international security,”
undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine”
Italian authorities spoke with Scheherazade crew members on late Friday after boarding the yacht by government order.
