Heesen Yachts was successfully transferred to a foundation. This was preceded by a failed attempt after a notary refused to take this step. At the time, the then Heesen owner and Lukoil boss Vagit Alekperov was already on the UK's sanctions list. The EU has still not restricted the Russian entrepreneur of Azerbaijani origin, who resigned from his position at the oil company, in his business activities, but the shipyard from Oss in the Netherlands is said to have had difficulties obtaining important parts from the UK, such as engines from Rolls-Royce/MTU. The newly formed board of trustees consists of the long-standing Heesen CEO Arthur Brouwer and Anjo Joldersma, a former co-owner of the agricultural machinery wholesaler Kramp.
The US KleptoCapture task force, which confiscates property worldwide from Russians who have become rich through corruption, made headlines. For many of their yachts, Turkey has become a safe harbour and an opportunity to enter the Black Sea. With the help of KleptoCapture, the USA also sanctioned the Monegasque management and brokerage firm Imperial Yachts. The New York Times published the results of an FBI investigation into emails between the "Amadea" crew and Imperial. Interviews with crew members also revealed that members of Suleiman Kerimov's family were on board the 106-metre Lürssen vessel at the beginning of the year. "Amadea" moored in Fiji in April, where the island nation's supreme court confirmed the US seizure and thus Kerimov's ownership. In the course of the proceedings, a lawyer presented Eduard Khudainatov as the rightful owner. The Russian entrepreneur and Sechin's predecessor at the head of Rosneft is also said to own the 140-metre Lürssen "Scheherazade", which was confiscated in Marina di Carrara. Kerimov, like Igor Sechin, who is considered the true owner of "Crescent" (135 metres), was already on US sanctions lists before the outbreak of war. Another Putin confidant sanctioned by the US since 2014 is Gennady Timchenko. According to NYT research, US intelligence agencies have concluded that "Scheherazade" was a gift from Timchenko and his associates to Vladimir Putin. In mid-June, the EU imposed sanctions on the front man Khudainatov, and "Amadea" sailed under the star-spangled banner of Hawaii.
