Russian Oligarch Suleiman Kerimov's Net Worth Makes Him a Billionaire
Yet another Russian oligarch had his yacht seized on foreign land. This time, it’s Suleiman Kerimov, a billionaire whose net worth likely won’t waver.
May 6 2022, Published 12:36 p.m. ET
Western authorities have seized yet another superyacht from a Russian oligarch as a result of sanctions. In April, authorities seized a yacht worth upwards of $750 million from Alisher Usmanov in Germany, as well as a $90 million yacht from Viktor Vekselberg in Spain. Now, Suleiman Kerimov is facing a similar fate as authorities seize his $300 million yacht in Fiji.
Kerimov is a billionaire, so this seizure may not be an overwhelming obstacle for him. Here’s what to know about Kerimov’s net worth.
Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov gets outed amid Fiji yacht seizure.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Thursday, May 5 that it worked with law enforcement in Fiji to seize the motor yacht Amadea.
Amadea is a 348-foot-long superyacht owned by Kerimov. The yacht is estimated to be worth at least $300 million.
Kerimov has been sanctioned by western governments for his connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the DOJ, Kerimov is “part of a group of Russian oligarchs who profit from the Russian government through corruption and its malign activity around the globe, including the occupation of Crimea.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco reminded people of the zero-tolerance policy in place for sanctioned Russians. “This yacht seizure should tell every corrupt Russian oligarch that they cannot hide—not even in the remotest part of the world. We will use every means of enforcing the sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine,” stated Monaco.
Suleiman Kerimov
Russian oligarch
Net worth: $15.9 billion
- Birthdate: March 12, 1966
- Wife: Firuza Kerimova
- Children: Said Kerimov, Aminat Kerimov, and Gulnara Kerimov
- Heritage: Lezgin (a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group mostly native to the Republic of the Russia region of southern Dagestan as well as northeastern Azerbaijan)
- Education: Dagestan State University
Suleiman Kerimov is a member of the Federation Council of the Federation Assembly of the Russian Federation. He is a very private person and he hasn't done a single interview during his entire career.
Suleiman Kerimov’s net worth makes him a billionaire.
Kerimov is wealthy enough to make it on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a regularly updated index of the world’s 500 richest people.
As of May 6, Kerimov rests at number 106 on that list. His net worth is at $15.9 billion, though that may not include the recent $300 million asset seizure. Regardless, Kerimov’s net worth has increased by an estimated $682 million YTD, with a recent $103 million bump contributing to that.
Kerimov has a similar net worth to that of Vekselberg and Gennady Timchenko, two other Russian oligarchs. He has managed to maintain his billionaire status despite numerous global controversies, including the French tax evasion case in 2017. In fact, his wealth doubled in recent years due to an increase in gold prices. Kerimov’s family fortune rests primarily on a 77-percent holding in Polyus, a gold company with a market capitalization of approximately $23.33 billion.
Authorities are holding Kerimov’s seized yacht in Lautoka, Fiji. The FBI is working with authorities in Fiji and Australia on the matter.