Italy seizes properties belonging to Russian racer Mazepin – law enforcement sources

Nikita Mazepin before the Italian Grand Prix REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini

ROME, April 11 (Reuters) – Italy has seized properties worth around 105 million euros ($114.45 million) belonging to former Russian Formula One driver Nikita Dmitrievich Mazepin and his oligarch father, two law enforcement sources told Reuters on Monday.

The operation targeted a villa – known as Rocky Ram – located in the north of the island of Sardinia. It is part of wider efforts to penalize wealthy Russians linked to President Vladimir Putin after Moscow invaded Ukraine on February 24. Read more

There was no immediate comment from Mazepin’s public relations manager.

Mazepin – who was fired in March by US F1 team Haas – has been placed on an EU sanctions list along with his father, Dmitry, who the European Union’s Official Journal described as a member of the closest circle to President Vladimir Putin. Read more

In recent weeks, Italian police have seized villas and yachts worth more than 900 million euros belonging to wealthy Russians who had been placed on a European Union sanctions list following of the Ukrainian conflict.

The most valuable asset seized to date is a superyacht belonging to billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, worth around 530 million euros, which was seized in the northern port of Trieste. Read more

($1 = 0.9174 euros)

Reporting by Emilio Parodi; written by Angelo Amante; Editing by Bernadette Baum

Our standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.