Prime Minister Gaston Browne is preparing to sue US law-firm due to Alfa Nero allegations
Prime Minister Gaston Browne says he intends to pursue legal action in response to fresh allegations linked to the sale of the luxury superyacht Alfa Nero, marking a new escalation in the long-running controversy surrounding the vessel.
In a statement Tuesday night, Browne indicated that his U.S. attorney is preparing to dispatch a pre-action letter within 48 hours to American law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, led by attorney David Boies, seeking US $10 million in damages for alleged defamation. He also signaled that former political leader Harold Lovell will be the next target of legal proceedings.
Browne maintained that the claims circulating overseas are false and stated that he will defend his reputation against what he described as fabricated allegations. Details of the specific legal filings are expected to follow once the pre-action correspondence has been formally issued.
The Alfa Nero, a 267-foot superyacht, arrived in Falmouth Harbour in February 2022 and remained abandoned for more than a year following international sanctions linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Antigua and Barbuda Government later declared the vessel a hazard and moved to seize it under the Port Authority Act.
In March 2023, the government announced its intent to auction the yacht, citing mounting maintenance and security costs. After several delays and legal challenges over ownership, the vessel was sold at auction in June 2023 to U.S. billionaire Eric Schmidt for US $67.6 million.
However, the transaction became embroiled in ongoing court disputes, with multiple parties, including the daughter of the yacht’s alleged owner, contesting the legality of the seizure and sale. Proceedings have taken place in both U.S. and Antiguan jurisdictions, and the vessel has remained in limbo pending final resolution.
Prime Minister Browne has repeatedly defended the government’s handling of the matter, insisting that Antigua and Barbuda acted within the law and in the public interest. He has previously stated that the continued legal delays have prevented the country from accessing proceeds from the sale.
The latest development adds a new dimension to the high-profile case, shifting the dispute into the arena of international defamation law. No response has yet been reported from Boies Schiller Flexner regarding the threatened legal action.
The Alfa Nero remains one of the most closely watched international legal sagas involving the twin-island nation, with further updates expected in the coming days.
Please let him sue, at least then the courts may force hin to disclose how he came by his massive wealth. I dare you to sue Big Dog!
Legal threats won’t replace the need for accountability. We still need answers about the sale.
Both sides should release documents so the public can judge for themselves
hahahah the saga continues
Why has it taken this long for answers? The country needs full disclosure on every step of the Alfa Nero deal
Hope our taxes won’t again he called upon to pay for his expenses.
The noose tightens around this idiots neck. Go ahead DAWG. Sue. You think this is the corrupt,incompetent Antiguan judicial system? Just a matter of time before we get the real story behind the stealing of the Alpha Nero. This was never in the interest of the public. Never. It was a part of your self enrichment scheme and it will haunt you. You can’t pass laws to make what is wrong right. You get away with that stuff in this cartoon country, but outside the region?
How does Harold Lovell fit into this? You’re a drowning man grabbing unto straws.
Ten million is a hefty sum, but what if the allegations damages the country’s reputation or the PM’s credibility
This is a serious development. Let’s see what comes out once the legal documents are filed
Hope the process brings clarity, because the public deserves transparency.
A big move, but sometimes defending your name costs more than you expect.