Tottenham owner Joe Lewis is seldom seen at Spurs matches, instead preferring to enjoy a life of luxury floating through the Caribbean on his luxury yacht.
Lewis, a self-made billionaire from the East End of London, is a reclusive businessman who resides primarily in the Bahamas aboard his £113m boat, Aviva.
According to the Forbes Rich List, he holds an estimated fortune of £4.3bn, allowing him to make full use of his riches and invest in a number of flashy amenities.
One of these, his superyacht, is believed to be his home for most of the year and has been referred to as his private office.
When he is not working, Lewis is able to use a full-sized tennis court below decks, as well as a pool, gym and a spacious sundeck.
Yesterday, however, the reclusive 86-year-old was thrust into the spotlight in the US after being indicted for ‘brazen’ insider trading. Federal prosecutors have alleged that he had passed on inside information ‘to compensate employees’.
Joe Lewis’ incredible £113million superyacht is one of his most treasured possessions
The incredible yacht features ultra-modern design and sleek interiors throughout
The rear view of the boat displays its enormity spread over five above-water floors
There are workout facilities on board and also a tennis court on the inside
Tottenham’s British billionaire owner Lewis has been indicted in the United States
Lewis, founder of investment firm The Tavistock Group, faces more than a dozen charges, though his lawyers have said they plan to defend him ‘vigorously’ and he has handed himself in to the authorities in Manhatten.
The next steps of the unfolding legal bombshell are uncertain, but at least for now, Lewis or his associates are expected to continue making use of his seaworthy haven.
Aviva, crafted by Abeking and Rasmussen and designed by Reymond Langton, was built in 2007 and is 323ft in size. It can host up to 16 people and 35 crew members, and in sea trials reached an impressive 20 knots (23mph).
The standout feature is the state-of-the-art tennis court, located in the lower deck. The room is 20 metres long and the yacht was effectively designed around it.
Elsewhere, the owner’s suite on the upper deck features an office, private lounge and a large en-suite bathroom. The remaining guest cabins, made up of two VIP suites and five more double cabins, are also completed with en suite facilities.
Lewis’ yacht also contains a beach club, a gym, a swimming pool and a spa, with an elevator making for easy access to each of the decks.
Furthermore, there is thought to be a ‘secret’ cinema on board and tucked out of sight, as well as a piano and large salon with sprawling windows and balconies.
The behemoth serves effectively as a floating office for the 86-year-old Lewis
The panoramic view from the control room offers the captain a full range of vision
Lewis is seen here in his younger years while moored at Fife in Scotland
There is intense security on board and with good reason, with plenty of art to protect
The boat carries part of Lewis’ sizeable art collection, made of genuine originals, too.
It is understood to have a priceless work by British painter Francis Bacon on a wall on its lower deck. And his collection also includes works by Degas, Lucian Freud, Klimt, Modigliani, Matisse and Picasso.
Aviva is made from steel and an aluminium superstructure, with the yacht powered by twin diesel-electric engines with an output of 3,862 horsepower.
Once spotted moored on the Thames, Aviva has been refitted twice since launch.
In May 2013, Spurs’ players embarked on a trip to the Bahamas and were welcomed on board the sleek vessel, leaving Michael Dawson, their former captain, stunned.
‘I had never met him before, so it was nice to go over there and a great experience,’ Dawson said, reflecting on his experience on Aviva.
‘What a really nice guy. And that yacht is unreal! But he’s just a normal guy.
‘You could chat to him about anything. He tunes into all the games, he loves it.
‘We just sat there chatting. He made us feel so welcome over there. It was relaxed. A lot of team-bonding together.’
On Lewis’ indictment, a statement from Tottenham read: ‘This is a legal matter unconnected with the club and as such we have no comment.’
In a dramatic statement delivered by video, US Attorney Damian Williams said: ‘My office, the Southern District of New York has indicted Joe Lewis, the British billionaire, for orchestrating a brazen insider trading scheme.
Aviva was crafted by Abeking and Rasmussen and designed by Reymond Langton
Tottenham players have been on board previously when Lewis decides to entertain
Aviva was effectively built around the state of the art tennis court on board
There are myriad options for anyone on board to relax, including by the rear of the yacht
There is a beach club, swimming pool and spa on board the Aviva, worth more than £113m
The yacht is vast and can reach speeds of up to 23mph in full flight if required
‘We allege that for years Joe Lewis abused his access to corporate boardrooms and repeatedly provided inside information to his romantic partners, his personal assistants, his private pilots and his friends.
‘Those folks then traded on that inside information and made millions of dollars on the stock market because – thanks to Lewis – those bets were a sure thing.’
Williams then added: ‘Now, none of this was necessary. Joe Lewis is a wealthy man. But as we allege he used inside information as a way to compensate his employees or shower gifts on his friends and lovers. It is classic corporate corruption.
‘It’s cheating and it’s against the law. That’s why Joe Lewis has been indicted and will face justice here in the Southern District of New York.’
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