Russian superyacht seized by U.S. docks in Hawaii, flying American flag

A Russian-owned superyacht seized in Fiji by American law enforcement — which has been cracking down on sanctioned oligarchs — docked in Honolulu Thursday.

The Amadea was seized on June 7, following weeks of legal and administrative hurdles that had stalled American efforts to seize the $300 million vessel. The U.S. government says the luxe ship, which is nearly the length of a football field, is owned by sanctioned gold mining billionaire Suleiman Kerimov. An attorney for the ship's holding company says it belongs to a Russian oil executive who the U.S. has not sanctioned.

The ship was seized as part of the Justice Department's Kleptocapture initiative, an effort to seize luxury assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs. Legislation supported by President Biden that has passed the House of Representatives, but not the Senate, would allow the U.S. to sell the Amadea and direct the proceeds toward the Ukraine war and recovery effort.