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Does 459-ft mystery yacht in Tuscany belong to Putin? Probe coming to conclusion
The superyacht, locally known as Putin's yacht, has two helicopter docks, a swimming pool, a fully equipped gym and bathrooms with gold-plated fixtures.
The mystery over Scheherazade, Italy's most infamous yacht with undisclosed ownership may come to an end as news agency AFP reported that Italy's financial probe into the yacht could be wrapped up within days. The yacht has gained prominence as several yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been seized in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is largely speculated that Scheherazade actually belongs to Russian President Vladimir Putin but as little is officially known about Putin, this has also remained as speculation only.
"We are in a phase of delving deeper and it's generally more complicated. It's not always easy to attribute ownership," a source quoted by AFP said.
Scheherazade is not a yacht but a superyacht that costs about $700 million. It has two helicopter docks, a swimming pool with a retractable cover that converts to a dance floor, a fully equipped gym and bathrooms with gold-plated fixtures.
According to a New York Times report, the ship's captain who is a British national has denied that Putin is the owner of the yacht. He said he has never seen Putin on the yacht. But then who is the owner? The captain said there is a strict nondisclosure agreement, but the owner could be a Russian.
Why Scheherazade is linked to Putin
The superyacht has an air of secrecy. In fact, the name of the yacht is also covered. When the superyacht came to be parked for maintenance work at The Italian Sea Group's shipyard at the Marina di Carrara, apart from the Captain, the crew were Russians. But AFP has reported that suddenly, the crew had suddenly been replaced with a British crew. Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny claimed the superyacht belongs to Putin.
The New York Times has reported that US authorities have collected evidence linking Putin to the luxury ship, which made two trips, in 2020 and 2021, to the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Scheherazade has also made two trips to these locations.
Officially, the Scheherazade is flagged in the Cayman Islands and its owner, Bielor Assets Ltd., is registered in the Marshall Islands.
(With AFP inputs)
