In a major development in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the sale of the luxury megayacht Alfa Nero, a United States federal judge has ruled that the financial records of Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne — along with several close associates — must be produced under strict confidentiality conditions.
According to a report by the Jamaica Observer, US District Judge Jesse M. Furman, presiding in the Southern District of New York, issued a memorandum on Tuesday lifting a previous stay on subpoenas seeking financial documents from Prime Minister Browne, his wife Marie Browne, his son, and other officials tied to the controversial transaction.
Earlier this month, the US court had temporarily halted the subpoenas, but the new ruling now compels the production of the requested records — under a protective order that restricts access exclusively to attorneys involved in the case. “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 stated in the order.
The disclosure forms part of discovery proceedings in a matter brought by Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, a businesswoman seeking evidence for use in foreign legal actions tied to the seizure and sale of Alfa Nero.
The subpoenas reportedly target international wire transfer records linked to 19 individuals and entities alleged to be involved in questionable financial transactions. The court dismissed arguments from Browne’s legal team seeking to quash or delay the subpoenas, finding that their claims of privacy infringement were minimal in light of the nature of the records being sought.
The case has drawn regional and international attention, intensifying scrutiny on the circumstances surrounding the handling and sale of the seized megayacht.
The Saint Lucia Daily Post will continue to monitor developments in this high-profile legal matter.
