PM Browne Denies Superyacht Kickback Allegations, Threatens Legal Action Against Offshore Alert Publisher David Marchant

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has strongly denied allegations published by Offshore Alert publisher David Marchant claiming he personally negotiated a US$6 million kickback in connection with the sale of the seized Russian-linked superyacht Alfa Nero.

The allegations were outlined in an article published by Offshore Alert under the headline alleging Browne negotiated a multimillion-dollar kickback tied to the sale of the vessel.

However, Browne has dismissed the claims as completely false and politically motivated, insisting there is no evidence whatsoever to support the accusations.

“It’s totally untrue. Not a scintilla of evidence to that effect,” Browne told Antigua.news on Tuesday afternoon.

The Prime Minister further accused individuals behind the allegations of engaging in what he described as a deliberate smear campaign aimed at damaging his reputation and undermining Antigua and Barbuda internationally.

“These people are paid mercenaries who seeking to hold individual’s hostage and to extract money by peddling false information,” Browne said during an interview with Shermain Bique-Charles.

The Prime Minister also signaled that legal action is now being considered against Marchant and others involved in circulating the allegations.

“He may just get a suit, just like the others I have sued for defamation,” Browne added.

The Alfa Nero matter has attracted significant international attention since Antigua and Barbuda seized and later sold the luxury vessel after it was abandoned in local waters following sanctions imposed against Russian elites after the invasion of Ukraine.

Government officials have repeatedly defended the handling of the vessel, arguing that Antigua and Barbuda acted lawfully and transparently throughout the process while avoiding the financial burden associated with maintaining the mega-yacht.

Critics of Offshore Alert and its publisher have previously accused the platform of sensationalism and publishing damaging allegations before matters are fully tested in court, particularly in politically sensitive disputes involving offshore finance and international asset recovery.

Browne and others were taken to court in New York, where an asset discovery was ordered covering all wire transfers through the US Clearing House and the Swift system, but no evidence of money laundering was found.