Prime Minister the Right Honourable Gaston Browne has rejected as “false and misleading” claims contained in an online article concerning the Government’s handling of the sale of the superyacht Alfa Nero, while alleging that the story is being circulated through an organised campaign targeting Antigua and Barbuda.

In a statement issued Wednesday by the Office of the Prime Minister, Browne responded to an article published by an online entity identified as National News Brief under the headline, “Antiguan Prime Minister Defamation Lawsuit Against U.S. Law Firm Backfires.”

The Prime Minister said the article contains inaccurate claims about his conduct and the Government’s management of the Alfa Nero sale.

According to Browne, the yacht was seized under legislation passed by Parliament after it was abandoned in Antigua and Barbuda following international sanctions imposed on its Russian-linked ownership.

He said the vessel was sold at public auction in July 2024 for approximately US$40 million and that the proceeds were used to satisfy legitimate government obligations, including debts owed to regional financial institutions.

“There is no missing money,” the Prime Minister stated.

Browne also disputed the article’s characterization of ongoing litigation in the United States, saying it incorrectly suggests that court proceedings are exposing his personal financial records.

He pointed to a March 2026 ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which upheld an earlier decision quashing subpoenas seeking financial records from American banks involving himself and other Antiguan officials.

The Prime Minister said the appellate ruling represented a legal victory for the Government rather than the setback suggested in the article.

Addressing his defamation lawsuit against the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner and attorney Martin De Luca, Browne said the legal action was filed in response to what he described as false and defamatory public statements made on behalf of sanctioned Russian interests.

He maintained that pursuing legal remedies through the courts was an appropriate response to allegations that he said damaged his reputation and that of his administration.

The Prime Minister also raised concerns about the online distribution of the article, claiming that links being shared on social media first pass through a third-party commercial tracking system before directing readers to the story.

He alleged that the method of distribution indicates a coordinated and paid campaign designed to increase circulation while concealing those responsible for promoting the content.

“My Government acted in the national interest when we seized and sold the Alfa Nero,” Browne said. “The courts in the United States have confirmed our right to do so.”

He added that his administration would continue to pursue legal action against individuals or entities that publish what he described as false and damaging statements while remaining focused on governing the country.