PM Browne Instructs Lawyers to Sue for US$10M Over Fresh 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.