Jeff Bezos’ $800 Million Superyacht That Was Raided By Police

• Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the world’s largest sailing yacht valued at $800 million.
• 417-foot Koru features Māori-inspired design, three swimming pools, and accommodation for 18 guests.
• Abeona, Koru’s $75 million support vessel, is equipped with a helicopter, luxury vehicles, and water toys.

No ordinary vessel will suffice for traversing the high seas when you’re the wealthiest individual in the world. While tech titans like Google’s Sergey Brin command Dragonfly, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg sails the Launchpad and Bill Gates owns the eco-friendly Breakthrough, yet none have captured global attention since its maiden voyage like Jeff Bezos’s $500 million USD ($800 million AUD) sailing yacht, Koru.

For Bezos, the world’s second-richest man with an estimated net worth of $237 billion USD, the 417-foot Koru stands as a majestic vessel that exemplifies unmatched maritime luxury and engineering excellence. Since its delivery in April 2023, Koru has ferried Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez around the globe.

Koru Quick Facts

Koru’s Construction

Built by the renowned Dutch shipyard of Oceanco, construction of Koru started in 2021 and was completed after intensive sea trials in the North Sea. The vessel is one of the world’s largest yachts, boasting a bold, midnight-blue hull complemented by an extended bowsprit and a traditional canoe stern that tips its hat to the classic schooner.

The name ‘Koru,’ inspired by the Māori word for ‘loop’ or ‘coil,’ is symbolic of a new beginning — quite aptly so for this vessel that has revolutionised luxury sailing.

Koru, Below Deck

Koru has a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure, while twin MTU engines drive the yacht to an impressive 20 knots or more under sail. Another innovative feature of this sailboat is its in-boom furlers, which stow the canvases at the mast base on deck to keep things rope-free, clean, and further enhance her already gracious lines.

The yacht’s three towering masts, each soaring to nearly half the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza, complement its majestic presence. It also uses teak in its interior and decking — a very common wood for luxury vessels because of its hardiness, imperviousness to water, and simply beautiful lines.

Koru’s Amenities and Bedrooms

The interior, designed with great panache by Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi and Dykstra Naval Architects for the naval architecture, features unparalleled luxury across three outdoor decks. Accommodating 18 guests catered to by a crew of 40 skilled sailors, the yacht boasts three sumptuous queen-sized staterooms, each featuring separate dry heads and walk-around beds.

There is no shortage of entertainment spaces onboard: two swimming pools on the vessel — one an aft dip pool on the main deck and a Jacuzzi on the sundeck. Amenities on the vessel read like a five-star resort inventory: cinema, several lounges, many business areas, and state-of-the-art technology throughout.

Koru’s Support Vessel Abeona

Accompanying Koru is the $75 million USD support vessel, Abeona. The 250-foot-long companion craft, constructed by Damen Yachting, serves as a floating garage for an outstanding portfolio of toys ranging from luxury cars and jet skis to speedboats. Abeona carries a helicopter landing pad and two extra staterooms that sleep four additional guests for every whim at sea.

Controversies & Headlines

Koru’s journey hasn’t been without turbulence. The superyacht made headlines when its towering 230-foot masts sparked controversy in Rotterdam, Netherlands, requiring consideration of dismantling the historic Koningshaven Bridge — a plan later abandoned due to public outcry. Other issues involve its use of teak wood from Myanmar labelled as ‘blood timber’, allegedly in violation of European laws.

Koru was also involved in a dramatic New Year’s Eve 2025 incident near St. Barts, with customs officials carrying out a surprise three-hour inspection as Lauren Sánchez, Bezos’s fiancée, was aboard —  an incident later reported to be routine and adding mystique to the yacht.

Koru’s Romance and Raids

Speculation swirls that Koru might soon host another milestone: Bezos’s wedding to Lauren Sánchez. Following their 2023 engagement, marked by a stunning 30-carat diamond ring valued at $3.5 million USD, reports suggest a spring/summer ceremony in European waters, potentially making this marvellous vessel the backdrop for one of the most anticipated celebrations in recent history.

While Bezos’s portfolio includes a Gulfstream G650ER private jet and three properties in the exclusive ‘Billionaire Bunker‘ of Indian Creek Island, Koru represents something more significant. With annual operating costs of $25 million USD, this masterpiece of maritime engineering has redefined what’s possible in yacht design, blending old sailing traditions with cutting-edge innovation.

As Koru glides resplendently across the globe’s oceans, it is more than the largest sailing superyacht ever built. It is the epitome of floating human ambition and ingenuity, setting new horizons of maritime luxury that other minds can only dream to match.