A federal judge in the United States has ordered that the financial records of Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne — along with those of his wife, son, and several other individuals — must be turned over under strict confidentiality rules, as the legal fight over the luxury megayacht Alfa Nero continues.
Earlier this month, a U.S. court had temporarily paused a subpoena that sought access to the financial dealings of Browne and others tied to the sale of the abandoned megayacht. However, on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, sitting in the Southern District of New York, lifted that stay, allowing discovery to proceed but under a protective order. According to the ruling, only attorneys involved in the case will be permitted to view the sensitive financial information unless the court decides otherwise.
“Upon review of the parties’ letters the court concludes that the proper way to balance [the] applicant’s interest in avoiding unnecessary delay and movants’ privacy interests is to lift the stay and require production subject to a protective order,” Judge Furman wrote.
The development comes as part of a case brought by businesswoman Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, who is seeking evidence to support legal proceedings overseas related to the seizure and sale of the Alfa Nero. Her legal team is targeting international wire transfers linked to 19 individuals and entities allegedly involved in questionable transactions surrounding the yacht.
The court dismissed arguments to quash or further delay the subpoenas, suggesting that Prime Minister Browne’s claims of privacy were minimal given the nature of the documents sought.
“This is a strong blow against efforts to delay the truth,” said lawyers for Guryeva-Motlokhov, stressing that the court recognized the broader public interest in advancing the case — particularly given the “highly politicised atmosphere” in Antigua and Barbuda.
Court documents also detailed accusations against Prime Minister Browne, including claims that he used intimidation tactics, defamation threats, and vulgar online attacks against opposing legal teams to obstruct the proceedings. Browne has publicly pushed back against the allegations, insisting that no funds were misappropriated during the yacht’s sale.
In a Facebook post last month, Browne said, “Not a red cent was diverted or unaccounted for. We have laid bare the records with all of the supporting wire transfers, redacting confidential account numbers.” He denounced the legal action as “a spiteful vendetta” allegedly driven by political opponents in the United Progressive Party (UPP), accusing them of collaborating with “foreign forces” to tarnish the nation’s reputation.
The Alfa Nero, once owned by Russian fertilizer magnate Andrey Guryev, was left abandoned. Now, Guryev’s daughter is asserting her claim to the yacht, complicating the already messy international dispute.
