US orders second superyacht auction

US orders second superyacht auction

The US treasury has — for a second time — ordered the auction of an arrested superyacht in the wake of criminal investigations into a fraudulent investment scheme.



Miss Kimberly — an 87ft (26m) Warren S87 motoryacht — is amongst the seized assets of Scott Rothstein, a once-prominent Floridian attorney who has pleaded guilty to running a $1.2 billion ‘Ponzi scheme’ between 2005 to 2009.



Rothstein has admitted selling stakes in non-existent confidential settlement agreements — such as pre-litigation negotiations in sexual harassment or whistle-blower cases — which he said involved individuals who wanted to keep details quiet.



The yacht — named after Rothstein’s wife (who hasn’t been charged) — was built in 2007 with twin MTU diesels which have just over 450 hours apiece on them. She has a top speed of around 34kt and a cruise speed of 28kt.



Bidders are asked to present a minimum deposit of $200,000 in the form of a cashier’s cheque on the day of the sale (June 3rd, 2010).



Besides Miss Kimberly, the auction also features a 55ft Sea Ray Sundancer, a 50ft Nor-Tech Supercat, and a 33ft Riva Aquariva Super.



The yacht, the boats, and a fleet of cars — including a Ferrari Spyder, Bugatti Veyron, and Rolls-Royce Phantom — are all being sold “as is, where is.”