Italian police have seized villas and yachts worth at least 140 million euros ($207 million) from five high-profile Russians who have been placed on an EU sanctions list following Moscow's attack on Ukraine.

The luxury properties were sequestered in some of Italy's most prestigious retail estate locations — the island of Sardinia, by Lake Como and in Tuscany — while two superyachts were seized at their moorings in northern ports.

A police source said a villa owned by billionaire businessman Alisher Usmanov on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, and a villa on Lake Como owned by state TV host Vladimir Soloviev, had both been seized.

In addition, sources confirmed that yachts belonging to Russia's richest man, Alexey Mordashov and Gennady Timchenko, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, were impounded overnight in the northern Italian ports of Imperia and Sanremo.

Russian oligarchs are believed to have bought numerous villas in choice Italian locations over the past 20 years.

Sources said more assets were expected to be seized in coming days as Western states implemented sanctions to try to force Russia to withdraw from Ukraine.

Italian banks were instructed by the Bank of Italy's financial intelligence division on Friday to urgently let it know of all measures taken to freeze the assets of people and entities placed on the EU list.

Uzbekistan-born metals and telecoms tycoon Mr Usmanov is well known in Italy for owning multiple properties on Sardinia, while Italian media say Mr Mordashov owns a villa worth some 66 million euros on the same island.

Taking into account the assets of his whole family, Forbes magazine estimates that Mr Mordashov had an estimated net worth of US$29.1 billion ($39.46 billion) before sanctions hit.

His 65-metre yacht, Lady M, had a price tag of 65 million euros, while Mr Timchenko's boat, Lena, was worth some 50 million euros, a police source said.

Mr Timchenko, who made a fortune in oil trading, has been described by Mr Putin as one of his closest associates.

Mr Soloviev reportedly complained on Russian television when he found out last month that he risked losing his Italian villa.

"Suddenly someone makes a decision that this journalist is now on the list of sanctions. And right away it affects your real estate. Wait a minute. But you told us that Europe has sacred property rights," The Daily Beast quoted him saying.



https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-06/italian-police-seize-oligarch-assets-russia-ukraine/100886456

That's over 24billion Russian Rubles!

Hope you people won't call Putin evil, you people are stealing properties that are not yours, Italy flexing muscle.
A dead country, when bomb go reach ona, ona go hear am

In a Mafia Federation like that in a month time, half of them will be gunning for Putin head...The result of his decision is really biting hard on others.

Italy dey do their own, nobody talk, when Russia do their own, wailers go come here dey wail.

Truvelisback:
Italy dey do their own, nobody talk, when Russia do their own, wailers go come here dey wail.

Lol mak Russia too seize any of there asset wey dey Russia Abi dem hold dere hand....


they can't do more dan dere usual Nuclear bomb talk person dey fight u with stick instead of retaliating with a stick u go carry Gun....

Steal not seize

inoki247:



Lol mak Russia too seize any of there asset wey dey Russia Abi dem hold dere hand....


they can't do more dan dere usual Nuclear bomb talk person dey fight u with stick instead of retaliating with a stick u go carry Gun....

All join. Stick fit kill person self

U see why China is always sending their profit back to China? Hope all billionaire is learning one or two lessons from this war

Good

Thieves