Madame Joe, a $156 million luxury yacht owned by billionaire Andre Scotch, is the latest target of US officials. Not only 324 feet but also the billionaire helicopter on it. The sanctioned billionaire and politician has been twice banned from doing business with the luxury yacht used by the 3A-MGU helicopter. Among his other assets that authorities are eyeing is Skoch’s private jet, the P4-MGU (Airbus A319).
According to the ICIJ, the US Treasury said last week it had classified the ship, along with the helicopter it was on board and a private aircraft, as “prohibited property.” The Treasury said the order, also called yachts and assets owned by other Russian elites, was intended to “degrade the key networks” they used to hide and move money around the world. The billionaire has managed to keep Madame Jo off their clutches for months now.
Marine Traffic shows that Yacht Madame Gu broadcast its last location near the United Arab Emirates on March 6. Then the beautiful boat was running away, after all it was among the few ships of Russia that darkened by turning off the transponders and stopping communication about their whereabouts. With the United States officially chasing him, it is only a matter of time before the yacht floats again.
Scotch is not as well known as its wealthy Russian counterparts, but it is close to the Kremlin. The Western media called Scotch “the richest man in the State Duma”, and he has been a member of the Russian national parliament since 1999. According to a fan of luxury yachts, Paradise Papers reveals that Madame Joe belongs to the Almano Holding. Scotch’s wife, Elena Lekhach, is the owner of Almano Holdings. These ownership details will help Skoch avoid being taken over if the authorities take Madame Jo in custody.
Dear Mrs. Joe:
Madame Gu from Feadship, formerly known as Project Dream, took four years to build. Its exceptional design is credited to Andrew Winch, while its nautical architecture is the responsibility of Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects. Winch is the mastermind behind creations such as the $400 million Dubai mega yacht and Roman Abramovich’s Boeing 767, etc. The exterior of Madame Joe’s consists of a teak deck, steel frame, and aluminum construction. This well-polished masterpiece catches the eye with its stunning blue shark skeleton.
The $156 million entertainment vehicle accommodates twelve guests in six cabins while together eighteen cabins provide comfortable crew accommodations for up to 36. The helicopter, Eurocopter Dauphin AS 365N3, matches exactly the same unique blue color and is valued at no less than $9 million. One of the most exciting features of this large Feadship ship is the jaw dropping helicopter. The platform is folded to lower the helicopter into the stowage. Fully enclosed helicopter hangar can be used as a squash court.
According to Feadship, Madame Gu is agile and cruises at a top speed of 24.0 knots. Sailing at a speed of 16.0 kn, which is considered above average for a ship of its size. Four MTU diesel engines power the luxury steamboat, which has a gross tonnage of 2991.0 and a beam of 45 feet.
About Andrei Scotch:
The Russian billionaire businessman has been an integral part of the State Duma of the Russian Federation since 1999. According to Forbes magazine, his fortune is currently $5.8 billion. He is part-owner of the steelmaker Lebedinsky Mining. Wikipedia reported that Scotch is among the richest Russians and was included in the list of world billionaires in 2012. As a member of the State Duma, he cannot own stakes in business. Hence, his shares in USM are owned by his father Vladimir and daughter Varvara.
Scotch served in the Soviet Army in 1984 and later built a memorial to fallen Russian soldiers in Luchun, China, formerly known as Port Arthur, the site of the bloodiest battle of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. The benevolent Russians supplied the veterans of the Great Patriotic War from the Belgorod region with the VAZ-2105 figure (3,000 vehicles for 260 million rubles). Reportedly, Skoch also donated more than $117 million, part of which was earmarked for the restoration of war monuments in Russia.
