Indonesia police seized the 91.5-meter Equanimity near Bali as part of an ongoing multi-billion dollar asset investigation. She was allegedly purchased with funds siphoned from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Indonesian police received a request from the FBI on February 21 to search for the boat, along with evidence of money laundering linked to it. The vessel was found a few days later off the coast of Lombok. The FBI personnel remained on the ground in Bali to assist the police.
Local news source Malaysiakini reports that the yacht was first detected entering Indonesian waters last November, passing through Raja Ampat before moving toward Lombok and Bali. It was believed to be sailing towards the republic to evade U.S. authorities investigating the scandal.
Indonesian police claimed that the captain turned off the vessel’s automated identification system (AIS) to avoid detection. “While sailing, Capt. Rolf (no other name provided) had switched off the vessel’s AIS several times, so the vessel was undetectable along Philippine waters and towards the southeast of Singapore,” Indonesian police spokesperson M. Iqbal told Detiknews. “At the time, U.S. authorities had issued a seizure warrant.”
There were 34 crew on board when the boat was seized. Agung Setya, director of economic and special crimes at Indonesia’s criminal investigation bureau, told Metro TV, “We have been inspecting the crew since yesterday and now we are taking action, since we have received approval from the court.”
While Indonesian authorities and the FBI worked together on the money laundering case, it’s unclear how the investigation will proceed.
“We will see how this develops…Whether we can do a joint investigation later or whether we can hand it over later, we are in the process of collecting and investigating,” Setya told Metro TV.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) is seeking to seize approximately $1 billion worth of assets allegedly bought with the misappropriated 1MDB funds by the yacht’s owner, Jho Low. Most of the assets are in the U.S., but the vessel has spent most of her time in Thailand since late 2016, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Other assets include a private jet, a hotel and real estate in New York, and a $107-million interest in EMI Music Publishing. Model and actress Miranda Kerr returned a jewelry set given to her by Low, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio returned an Oscar once owned by actor Marlon Brando along with other items that were funded with the 1MDB money.
According to reports, the 91.5m-long vessel has a spa and beach club, a beauty salon, a gym, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a large pool. The interior has some orientally inspired themes, using materials such as wenge, bamboo and gold lead.
The boat is now anchored off Bali and officials are currently looking for Low.
The brand new superyacht Olivia O has been recently seen on the French Riviera. Planning and engineering work began on the boat in November 2016 and earlier in 2020 the superyacht was finally delivered to her experienced owner.One of the largest explorer yachts in the world was designed and built by Ulstein Verft, which is known for commercial vessels, ferries, and workboats. Well-known superyacht designer Espen Oeino was chosen by the owner to develop the exterior lines and the general arrangement of Olivia O. The 88.5 m motor yacht is not typical in style, she features a trademarked reverse-bow design called the X-Bow.She is owned by Eyal Ofer, a Monaco based billionaire, active in shipping and real estate. He is not the last man in shipping indeed since in 2014 Eyal was ranked number 7 in Lloyd’s List 100 People in Shipping. With the net worth, which is estimated at US$ 9.4 billion, he definitely can afford this US$ 200 million luxury superyacht. Eyal is Chairman of Ofer Global, Zodiac Group, and Global Holdings. His father Sammy Offer was Israel’s richest man.Some of her impressive highlights are a large swimming pool on the main deck aft and a helicopter deck with a D-value of 16. Olivia O offers accommodation up to 20 guests in 8 cabins, including Pullman bunks while crew accommodation is for 30 people.
July 10, 2020
The 99.95 m superyacht Moonrise, the largest superyacht by waterline length built in the Netherlands to date, has been recently delivered after successful sea trials in the North Sea. Built by the Feadship yard in Makkum, she also has an impressive volume thanks to a 15.50-metre beam.The shipyard described the yacht's key features as “sleek, sensual lines” with a “modern masculine profile”. Some of the highlights of Moonrise are it's a large beach club, a gym, and the huge living space areas.Her stylish details, such as long hull windows, a glorious grey hull, and striking vertical bow add to the elegance of the design by Studio De Voogt. The interior of the boat was created by Remi Tessieir Design.Moonrise has a 15.5-meter beam and is equipped with a pair of MTU engines for a maximum speed of 19.5 knots and a cruising speed of 16 knots.Moonrise equipped with a pair of MTU engines for a top speed of 19.5 knots at top speed and she is designed to cruise comfortably at 16 knots. The dimensions of the yacht are impressive and can accommodate up to 16 guests in 8 staterooms. There are also exceptionally high-end crew accommodations for up to 32 crew members.
July 10, 2020
Lürssen's superyacht Opus, which was previously named Redwood, hit the sea for the first time. The 142m vessel featuring six decks was launched yesterday July 9th. The technical concept was launched in January 2019.The management of project Opus is done by Moran Yacht & Ship, overseeing the construction process. This project sets a new record as the largest project for the company to sell.Moran Yacht & Ship commented:She is feature-rich with high-end amenities to delight and cater to every imaginable whimThe motor yacht can accommodate 36 guests in 20 cabins. Opus was designed by Italian design studio Nuvolari & Lenard. After the sea trials are completed, Opus will be delivered to her owner later this year.
July 10, 2020
Madame Gu is a 99.00 m luxury motor yacht. She was built by Feadship in 2013. This week this majestic superyacht has been seen in Saint Tropez. With a beam of 16.50m and a draft of 4.60m, she has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. This adds up to a gross tonnage of 2900 tones.Madame Gu is powered by MTU 20V 4000 M73 engines of 4,828hp each, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 24 knots and cruise at 22 knots.She can accommodate 12 guests in 6 cabins including a master stateroom and five guest cabins. Both, an interior and exterior design by Andrew Winch make up one of Holland’s largest yachts ever built. The superyacht a fully enclosed helicopter hangar with a Eurocopter Dauphin AS 365N3, which costs around US$ 9 million. Also, there are two 11-metre tenders and scuba gear as well as a beach club, gym, and jacuzzi on deck.
July 9, 2020
Lürssen shipyard delivered 180 metre superyacht Azzam in 2013. With such an impressive length, she is the largest privately owned superyacht in the world and held its title unchallenged for nearly seven years. With a beam of 20.8 m and a draft of 4.3 m, she has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. This adds up to a gross tonnage of 13136 tons. Azzam is powered by engines of 23,500 hp each giving her a maximum speed of 30 knots.The all-white motor yacht can accommodate guests in cabins with an interior design by Christophe Leoni and an exterior design by Italian studio Nauta Design.Mario Pedol, co-founder of Nauta Design commented:Azzam features balanced, modern architecture composed of straight lines and proportional volumes, which are some of the main design principles of Nauta Design When we were called to participate in pitching for the exterior styling of this yacht we knew it would be the most demanding work of our career, defined by the strictest and most challenging requests in terms of dimensions, performances, and technology. What made us confident to be able to deal with such a challenge was the interpretation of the client’s brief. The best technology was required in order to obtain the highest performance possible.There is not much information about her interior design, but it’s not a secret that the interior layout includes an open-plan main saloon measuring 29 metres by 18 metres.Pedol said about it:We’ve had a lot of compliments for Azzam. They all talk about elegance and balance, that she doesn’t look as big as she is, and I think this is a good achievement.
July 9, 2020