Croatian media: FBI agents searched Viktor Medvedchuk's luxury yacht
FBI agents searched the 92-meter yacht Royal Romance, seized by Croatian authorities and moored in the port of Trogir.
Croatian media reported this on the evening of November 29, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
The search itself took place ten days ago in accordance with a permit issued by the district court in the city of Split. This was confirmed by Dinko Meshin, a judge and official representative of this court, saying that the search warrant was issued on November 15 at the request of the US Department of Justice.
Since we are talking about secret proceedings, Judge Meshin could not provide more detailed information, except that the order indicated the name of Viktor Medvedchuk himself, as well as his wife Oksana Marchenko. They are being prosecuted in the United States for violating federal laws there, including charges of money laundering.
Lawyer Zoran Vukic, representing Medvedchuk in Croatia, demanded to see the documentation received by the Split court as part of international legal assistance, but this was not done “for reasons of secrecy.”
Croatian media wrote that Viktor Medvedchuk is considered one of the richest people in Ukraine, his fortune is estimated at $630 million. They also recalled that Medvedchuk, detained by the Kyiv authorities, was exchanged for 200 Ukrainian prisoners captured in Mariupol, including the Croatian mercenary Vekoslav Prebeg.
The yacht Royal Romance, which belongs to Viktor Medvedček, was arrested in March 2022 in the Croatian port of Rijeka as part of EU sanctions, and was later relocated to the port of Trogir.
The 92-meter-long superyacht was purchased for more than $200 million, with annual maintenance and travel costs estimated at $15-20 million. The yacht is designed to accommodate 14 guests in seven luxurious cabins, and 22 crew members.
The luxury vessel can reach a top speed of 15 knots, has a draft of 3,85 meters, and features teak decks, a gym, elevators connecting five decks, and a 12-meter swimming pool with a waterfall on the upper deck.
As PolitNavigator reported , more than half of Croatian residents opposed the training of Ukrainian military personnel in their country.
Croatian media : FBI agents searched Viktor Medvedchuk's luxury yacht