The $250,000 Tranquility was bought using stolen Malaysian government money. It became the first vessel that was seized by the FBI and was the focal point of an Hollywood scandal, and was later changed name and retrofitted by Oceanco and is now a charter vessel for celebrities from all over the world.
Every boat has its own history. Certain boats have more stories than others.
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There’s always been a element of mystery in the world of superyachts. In a lot of ways it’s necessary. The big money requires anonymity, and shipyards are silent about their work. This is a reasonable demand from those who demand security. Ofttimes, the primary motive behind buying a yacht is to hide from the prying cameras and a snarky paparazzi.
However, even though large sums of money and discretion have a lot in common, it could be a loophole that can be exploited. More privacy means less questions. However, that doesn’t mean shipyards aren’t at the fault. If the cheque is issued by an honest bank or government entity, there’s not much reason to doubt the authenticity of it. The greater the value of the money is the more security risk.
The 300-foot superyacht was bought from Malaysian financer Jho Low for $250 million in 2013. It was constructed by the renowned shipyard Oceanco in the Netherlands and was launched with the title Equanimity.. It was an engineering feat for the entire industry of superyachts and was awarded it the “Yacht of the Year Over 82 Meters” at the annual World Superyacht Awards. The time was when Low served as the head of executive of Hong Kong investment firm Jynwel Capital. All appeared to be above reproach.
In all the reports, Low used the boat occasionally, while also making it available for charters to the wealthy and famous. One of his many connections to the celebrity world included the likes of Kim Kardashian, for whom was given a white $325,000 Ferrari as an wedding present.
In the year 2018, it was reported about Equianimityhad been bought with stolen funds taken from Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Malaysian premier Najib Razak was at the center of the scandal, and money was smuggled through arteries that extended all the way to Hollywood. It was reported that the Guardian described the theft of $4 billion in the government’s money “one of the biggest corruption scandals in the world.” The sum of $100 million was used to fund the Hollywood film “The Wolf of Wall Street” with Leo DiCaprio, for which the producers ultimately were forced to pay The U.S the government to settle in the amount of $60 million. DiCaprio has been interviewed in authorities from the FBI regarding his connections to Low.
In all, it’s believed Low took more than $400 million out of the account even though the total loss surpassed $4 billion. In the year 2020, Low struck an agreement to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors to recoup more than $700 million in assets and cash, including the Beverly Hills hotel and real estate investments located in New York and London. Low also released another $260 million worth of personal assets.
Even though he signed the agreement, Low fled to Hong Long after the procedure was completed and sailed off leaving the boat in its place in order to be taken by the authorities. As of today the man is considered an escaped criminal and is believed to be at Macau, China. Interpol has issued an Red notice asking for the arrest of him and his extradition however, his Chinese government has been unable to admit that he is a resident of the country.
The vessel, Equanimitywas seized by Indonesian authorities in March 2018, with assistance from officials from FBI. The ownership of the boat was then handed over into the U.S. Department of Justice in April 2019 and then placed up for auction, and then transferred to real estate equity company Genting Malaysia Berhad for half of its initial price of $126 million.
Then she received an upgrade. When she returned to Oceanco for a refit Tranquilitynow is enjoying “several upgrades to ensure she stays at the top of her game.”
The refitted superyacht has some of the most appealing features available to her design. The interior is a fusion of Asian and European styles thanks to Winch Design, which includes the use of various materials, including gold leaf, wenge, marble, and bamboo. There’s space for 22 guests across 11 cabins. There is also the master suite with a full beam that covers more than half the deck’s upper. The master suite is complete with an individual study area, two Italian showers as well as a walnut bathroom. a dressing room with a walk-in closet and a freestanding tub and an exclusive Jacuzzi on a terrace with views of the water.
There’s also room to accommodate 31 crew members.
The guests can enjoy a full gym that includes an Finnish sauna as well as a plunge pool and a massage area. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the guest areas provide vast views.
The saloon is equipped with a full scale dining table, as well as the cinema room has large screen TV. There’s also a lounge that has an amazing and transparent Acrylic piano. Outside, there’s the complete beach club on the stern. It has a huge 66-foot-long pool, with loungers as well as a wet bar and two Helipads. The available toys include kayaks, PWC’s, SeaBobs as well as the inflatable slide as well as water trampolines.
Tranquility also comes with a couple of tenders that are sweet. Twin 35-foot (10.5 meters) Hodgson tenders are stored below decks, one is an open-top version, and the other is an enclosed limousine. Each tender can hold at least 12 passengers, and two crew members.
The vessel in question isn’t one to be slayed also. It has faster top speeds than every other yacht in its class due to two MTU diesel engines.
