Final summer time, two yachts considered owned by Russian fertilizer oligarch and worst-kind-of-sports-parent Dmitry Mazepin disappeared from the port of Olbia off the Italian island of Sardinia. That they had been seized in March, pursuant to European Union sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however native officers weren’t capable of instantly tie the vessels to their proprietor. Each boats vanished three months later inside days of one another — and suspiciously mere hours earlier than police confirmed they belonged to Mazepin.
Wouldn’t you already know the Italian authorities would actually love to talk with the billionaire, in response to the newest from the Guardian. This week Mazepin was issued a discover of the roughly $540,000 he faces in fines by the Forte dei Marmi city corridor, the place he additionally owns a home.
The ships — each named Aldabra, presumably to make this case simply that little bit extra annoying for regulation enforcement — supposedly went off in numerous instructions. One set sail for Tunisia, whereas the opposite headed towards Northern Italy, then Turkey. Their present whereabouts are unknown.
As for a way Mazepin organized the entire thing, Italian officers have an concept about that, too. Courtesy the Guardian:
Police mentioned Mazepin employed a international firm, which in flip employed a Sardinian captain to maneuver the yachts away from Italy.
The middleman firm and captain have each been hit with fines of as much as €500,000. Mazepin faces the identical penalties.
A police supply mentioned that he’s fiscally resident in Forte dei Marmi, a well-liked vacation spot for Russian oligarchs earlier than the warfare in Ukraine, as he owns a villa within the city, therefore why the discover was issued there.
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That villa was seized too, as it’s slightly more challenging to hide than seafaring craft. I’d love to hear Mazepin’s son, disgraced Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin, relate his assuredly noncommittal stance on these issues. Hell, I’d love to listen to him say something in any respect. His mouth proved to be an countless effectively of leisure by way of the early a part of final yr and it’s been too lengthy since he opened it close to a microphone.