A look at the superyacht Eric Schmidt bought from billionaire Shahid Khan

• Eric Schmidt withdrew from the purchase of the mega yacht Alfa Nero last year.
• Instead, he bought the Kismet, previously owned by Shahid Khan, and renamed her Whisper.
• The ship – one of the largest yachts owned by a tech billionaire – was for sale for approximately $161 million.

Last year, Eric Schmidt made waves in the yachting community when news emerged that he was the future owner of the Alfa Nero, an 81-meter megayacht that belonged to a sanctioned Russian oligarch.

The former Google CEO, who is worth $32.1 billion according to Bloomberg, was expected to pay $67.6 million for the yacht, which was auctioned by the government of Antigua and Barbuda, where the ship has been moored since February 2022, the month when Russia invaded. Ukraine. The small Caribbean country had spent $28,000 a week just to maintain the giant boat.

But as the sale process progressed, legal challenges mounted as people laid claim to Alfa Nero, and Schmidt pulled out of the deal.

However, it didn’t take long for him to recover. In September 2023, just three months after winning the Alfa Nero auction, the billionaire bought Kismet and renamed her Whisper, Business Insider has learned.

A spokesperson for Schmidt declined to comment to Business Insider.

The 95 meter long yacht, built by the renowned German shipyard Lürssen and delivered in 2014, was previously owned by the Shahid Khan, the billionaire owner of the Jacksonville Jaguar – hence images of the cat on her figurehead and throughout her decor.

Whisper, which can accommodate at least a dozen guests and a crew of 28, features a main deck with a private Jacuzzi, as well as a full-service spa, swimming pool, hammam and outdoor fireplace. The megayacht is made for entertainment and has a cinema, a grand piano and two helipads – one of which serves as a basketball court and the other turns into a disco.

Her interior is designed to “create a feeling of relaxed opulence, based on a ‘Champagne & Caviar’ theme,” according to the brokerage that sold the ship.

Although the final sale price of the yacht was not public, it was on the market for 149 million euros (approximately $161 million at current exchange rates).

At a charity auction in January, a week aboard the ship raised $2.4 million, according to Industry Outlet Yacht charter fleet – a bargain considering she normally goes for $3 million a week.