Italy Seizes Another Russian Oligarch's Precious Villa
ROME—Italian police have added another stunning villa to their collection of sequestered Russian properties after seizing the so-called Rocky Ram belonging to former Formula One driver Nikita Dmitrievich Mazepin and his father, chemical baron Dimitry Mazepin, on Monday.
The property, valued at around $115 million, sits on a cliff overlooking Sardinia’s rocky Paradise Beach coast and boasts some of the most expansive views of the turquoise waters and famous red rocks on the island. The nearest town is Porto Cervo, where, until Russia invaded Ukraine, a string of Russian superyachts were moored. Most moved out in mid-February.
Mazepin was dismissed by the U.S.-owned Formula One Hass team in March after being named on the European Union sanction list with his father—they jointly own the property, which was reportedly obtained with the help of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose erstwhile pal Vladimir Putin was a frequent visitor to the area. The elder Mazepin is a member of Putin’s inner circle and has been photographed on Berlusconi’s property by Italian paparazzi over the years. Mazepin’s Uralkali firm was also booted as a team sponsor by Hass when he was added to the sanctions list. The former driver was listed as a “person associated with a leading businessperson involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the government of the Russian Federation.”
Mazepin blamed his firing from Hass on “cancel culture” and has been outspoken about sanctions. “I don’t agree with being in sanctions and I’ve said previously that I intend to fight it,” the younger Mazepin told the BBC. “Perhaps now is not the right time because if you look at the whole situation that's happening against athletes in the general case, it’s cancel culture against my country.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italy-seizes-another-russian-oligarchs-precious-villa/ar-AAW82Yr
Admittedly I'm not a Formula One fan but I'm unaware of any professional athlete who's able to afford a $115 million mansion.
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