It’s sold! Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is the new owner of the 267-foot superyacht, Alfa Nero, after he successfully bought the vessel at a live-streamed auction in June for $67.6 million. Built in 2007 by the Dutch shipbuilder Oceanco Yachts, the yacht was most recently owned by Russian billionaire, Andrey Guryev, who was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury because Russia invaded Ukraine last year. The Alfa Nero was blocked from leaving Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, in February 2022. A year later, its ownership was transferred to the Antigua & Barbuda government. Maintenance costs of over $110,000 per month have made it an albatross for the island government. It was finally in June when Ronald Sanders, Antigua & Barbuda Ambassador to the U.S. got Washington to remove the superyacht from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and it could be sold. In the nail-biting few hours before the auction, news reports broadcast that Guryev’s daughter filed an emergency application to stop the sale and keep the boat in the family, but this was rejected by the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal.
The incredible private superyacht should prove a lot of fun for Schmidt, who was Google’s CEO for a decade in the early 2000s and rates a $25 billion net worth as valued by Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. Striking amenities on the Alfa Nero include a baby grand piano and staircase that wraps around a glass lift shaft inside and a swimming pool that converts either into a dance floor or helipad on the outside.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is no stranger to the world of luxury, and his recent acquisition of the 267-foot superyacht, Alfa Nero, further cements his status as a connoisseur of the finest things in life. The live-streamed auction, where Schmidt successfully secured the vessel for $67.6 million, marked a significant moment in the yacht’s eventful journey.
Previously owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev, the Alfa Nero faced complications due to the owner’s sanctions from the U.S. Treasury in light of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. As a result, the yacht was blocked from leaving Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, in early 2022, and its ownership was later transferred to the Antigua & Barbuda government. The island government grappled with high maintenance costs of over $110,000 per month, making the superyacht a financial burden.
However, June brought a positive turn of events as Ronald Sanders, Antigua & Barbuda Ambassador to the U.S., successfully convinced Washington to remove the Alfa Nero from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, allowing for the auction to proceed. In a dramatic twist, news reports surfaced of Guryev’s daughter filing an emergency application to halt the sale, aiming to keep the yacht within the family, but the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal ultimately rejected the plea.
With the legal hurdles behind it, the Alfa Nero found its new home with Schmidt, whose impressive $25 billion net worth is a testament to his success. As he steps into the world of luxury yachting, he can look forward to enjoying the yacht’s lavish amenities, such as the exquisite baby grand piano and the stunning glass lift shaft staircase within. Not to be outdone, the outside offers a remarkable swimming pool that easily transforms into a dance floor or helipad, adding a touch of versatility to this exceptional vessel.
