Florida Boat Captain Charged in Sunken Yacht Theft

A South Florida boat captain is facing grand theft charges for allegedly sinking an 80-foot yacht so he could collect the insurance money.

State Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater said Thursday that 49-year-old Robert Figueredo was arrested in the sinking of the “Star One” yacht off the Bahamas in 2009. The yacht was worth about $1.8 million.

Figueredo told authorities back in 2009 he had no idea who had taken the yacht from its Key Biscayne mooring. But Atwater says an ex-girlfriend told investigators Figueredo bragged about deliberately sinking the boat. The claim for loss went to the Federated Insurance Co.

Figueredo faces a maximum 30-year prison sentence if convicted. Court records did not indicate Thursday that Figueredo had hired an attorney.