Fiji court lets the U.S. seize the Russian oligarch's $300 million superyachts

The United States secured a victory in its campaign to punish Russian billionaires for the war in Ukraine when Fiji's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that American authorities could seize a $300 million yacht owned by a pro-Kremlin oligarch.

The ship, the Amadea, is headed to the United States, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said in a tweet Tuesday, posting photos of the ship leaving port in Fiji while flying a U.S. flag. "The United States is deeply grateful to the Fijian police and prosecutors whose perseverance and dedication to the rule of law made this action possible," he said.

The court's ruling lifted a stay order that had blocked the United States from seizing the yacht. Amadea's owner is Russian billionaire Suleyman Kerimov, U.S. officials say.