Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has signalled potential legal action against St. Kitts Nevis Times and Times Caribbean Online over allegations concerning the sale of the Alfa Nero yacht. The Prime Minister revealed that his legal team is currently reviewing the publication for possible defamation. “If so, St. Kitts Nevis Times and others, regionally and internationally, will get their opportunity in court to prove that millions are missing from the Alfa Nero sale and precisely who benefited,” Browne stated. He has consistently defended the sale process as transparent and above board.
The Alfa Nero was linked to Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev, who was sanctioned by the U.S. in August 2022 due to his ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Guryev denied ownership of the yacht, prompting Antigua to seize it as abandoned property.
The yacht was initially auctioned off to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt for $67 million, however, Schmidt withdrew from the deal after Guryev’s daughter, Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, claimed ownership, leading to legal disputes.
In July 2024, the Antigua and Barbuda government successfully sold the Alfa Nero for $40 million to Turkish businessmen Robert Yildirim and Ali Riza Yildirim of the Yildirim Group.
The sale aimed to alleviate the financial burden of maintaining the vessel and mitigate potential environmental risks posed by the megayacht.
The matter did not end with the vessel’s sale as Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov’s legal team is now seeking financial records from Antiguan officials to investigate the circumstances surrounding the sale.
What is Defamation?
Defamation refers to the act of making false statements about an individual or entity that damages their reputation. In this case, Prime Minister Browne is accusing St. Kitts Nevis Times and Times Caribbean Online of publishing defamatory content suggesting that millions of dollars are missing from the Alfa Nero sale. Under Antigua and Barbuda’s defamation laws, individuals and organisations have the right to seek legal recourse if their reputation is unjustly harmed through false and malicious publications.
Times Caribbean and Caribbean Times openly describe themselves as a blog run by anonymous actors. The blog poses as a legitimate news outlet, deceiving unsuspecting readers into believing it is a credible news source. It frequently leverages its extensive readership to spread false information and political propaganda under the guise of journalism. Despite strong suspicions about the individuals behind the site, the owners have taken significant steps to conceal their identity, and the blog remains officially anonymous.
Legal experts suggest that if Browne proceeds with the lawsuit, the case could set a significant precedent for the accountability of new media and social media bloggers in the region.
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