Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt won a lucrative auction in Antigua, buying a $67.6 million superyacht previously owned by a Russian oligarch.
Schmidt, 68, snagged the coveted Alfa Nero ship after it was seized from fertilizer mogul Andrey Guryev last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The giant ship, which has moored on the Caribbean island since the conflict began, is among the most luxurious in the world and boasts the first swimming pool that converts into a helipad.
Notably, it was also built by Oceanco, the same company that built the $500 million superyacht recently enjoyed by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez.
The superyacht Alfa Nero is 267 feet long and was once valued at $190 million
The ship features the first-ever swimming pool that converts into a helipad (pictured)
Built in 2007, the 267-foot vessel first went on sale in 2009 for a whopping $190 million.
Accommodating 12 guests and up to 26 crew members, the ship is equipped with the amenities of a billionaire.
The master bedroom occupies the entire front of the upper deck and offers panoramic sea views, while the interior is adorned with intricate designs.
Inside the yacht, each room should have its own coordinated design. A saloon bar on the upper deck is palatial, while the saloon on the main deck has a more modern look.
There is also a private gym with 180 degree views on the top floor and a health and beauty spa on the lower floor.
The Alfa Nero has been described by her builder Oceanco as “one of the most famous and highly awarded yachts in the world”.
Her builder, Oceanco, described her as one of the most famous and highly awarded yachts in the world
The yacht is outfitted with numerous lavish amenities worthy of her billionaire owners
Every room in the house should be designed according to a different, coordinated theme
The huge ship was bought at an auction held by the government of Antigua and Barbuda
Schmidt bought the boat after Guryev abandoned it in Antigua last year following US Treasury Department sanctions.
US officials claimed Guryev, who owns one of the largest fertilizer companies in the world and has close ties to Vladimir Putin, bought the yacht in 2014.
The auction was hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda government, which said on June 16 that Schmidt had won in a “completely transparent process.”
In a strange move, an Antigua port official told Bloomberg News that Guryev’s daughter filed a last-minute restraining order, claiming she was the owner of the yacht.
Guryev has an estimated net worth of around $4.8 billion and Schmidt’s net worth is estimated at over $20 billion.
Eric Schmidt (left) bought the yacht after it was abandoned by Guryev (right) last year when he was hit with US Treasury Department sanctions
Jeff Bezos’ superyacht was built by the same company as Schmidt’s. Pictured: The $500 million ship, named after Koru, the Maori word for “new beginning”.
The Koru (background) alone just isn’t enough for the former Amazon chief, who also arrived on the French Riviera with a companion yacht, the Abeona (foreground), which itself measures 246 feet and brings with it a slew of gadgets as well as a helicopter
Notably, the yacht was manufactured by the same company that recently built another headline-grabbing vessel.
Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos this year invested money in a new $500 million megayacht called the Koru.
At 417 feet long, it is one of the tallest and longest ships in the world.
Bezos and his glamorous fiancé Lauren Sanchez were recently spotted kissing on the sprawling patio.
The Koru is so massive that she is also accompanied on her voyages by a second $75 million support yacht called Aboena.
It hovers nearby to allow the billionaire a life of luxury and is home to his selection of supercars, motorcycles, smaller boats, jet skis and helicopters.