“The order of the District Court is AFFIRMED.”

With that clear and decisive conclusion, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has dismissed an appeal brought by Russian claimant Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, in a case involving Prime Minister Gaston Browne and several associated individuals and entities.

The March 30, 2026 ruling names Gaston Alphonso Browne, Darwin Telemaque, Gaston Andron Browne III, Maria Bird-Browne, Hyacinth Harris, Ickford Roberts, as well as corporate entities including IF Antigua Inc., Farmer DG Browne Co. Limited, Cove Head Development Limited, Cove Head Communications Limited, and the West Indies Oil Company, as intervenors-appellees in the matter.

The case arose from an application filed under U.S. law seeking access to financial records tied to those individuals and entities, which the claimant argued could be used in legal proceedings in Antigua and Barbuda and other jurisdictions.

However, both the District Court and the appellate court found that the request failed to meet the legal threshold.

“We agree with the District Court that… [her] ability to use the requested discovery is entirely speculative,” the judges stated, noting that the proposed use of the documents depended on uncertain future legal developments.

The court also upheld the decision to quash the subpoenas in their entirety, reinforcing that strict statutory requirements must be satisfied before such discovery can be granted.

The matter forms part of the wider international legal dispute stemming from the seizure and sale of the superyacht Alfa Nero, which continues to generate litigation across multiple jurisdictions.

While the court noted the application was denied “without prejudice,” allowing for a possible future request if circumstances change, the ruling represents a significant legal setback for the claimant and strengthens the position of the Antiguan respondents.

View the full judgment: Appellate Case 25_1626_Guryeva_Motlokgov