joe lewis yacht

Take a look at Joe Lewis’s stunning $250 million superyacht, Aviva, which the Tottenham owner used to bail himself out of trouble. The billionaire loved padel tennis so much that he actually built this 279 feet long vessel around a padel tennis court.

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AVIVA Yacht – Unique $250 M Superyacht

Delivered in 2017, the AVIVA superyacht is a striking sight with its length of 98.4 meters (322.83 ft), ranking it high on the list of largest yachts worldwide .

Built by the renowned German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen, AVIVA has been a standout in the world of luxury yachts since its inception, winning the Motor Yacht of the Year award at the World Superyacht Awards in 2018.

AVIVA Yacht

Mr. Lewis started his early entrepreneurial life by currency trading, enabling him to have a more thorough insight into the business world.

Making him one of the wealthiest people on the earth with an accumulated net worth of over 4.5 billion pounds; enabled him to buy many luxury cars and Aviva yacht, the 250-million-dollar beast.

AVIVA was built by the boat building company Abeking & Rasmussen , situated in Lower Saxony. Abeking & Rasmussen is a company aimed at engineering yachts, naval vessels, and cruise ships.

They were also responsible for building AVIVA’s sisters Elandess , Cloudbreak, and Excellence.

Reymond Langton Design was responsible for designing this gorgeous yacht. They are an award-winning company that prides itself on its creativity and passion with well over a decade of experience in the superyacht designing industry.

They were also responsible for creating the Serene superyacht and Nobiskrug yacht  Mogambo.

AVIVA Yacht Exterior

AVIVA’s exterior displays a sleek and modern all-blue design, distinctive among today’s superyachts. Notable outdoor facilities include a Jacuzzi, a large swimming pool, a helipad, and a spacious sundeck for relaxation and entertainment.

The yacht also boasts a collection of water toys, including jet skis, sea bobs, and inflatable slides for guests to enjoy.

AVIVA Yacht Interior

Designed by Reymond Langton Design in collaboration with Toby Silverton, AVIVA’s interior offers a contemporary and luxurious aesthetic. The yacht can accommodate up to 16 guests in eight state-of-the-art suites, complemented by a crew of 35.

The owner’s suite, located on the upper deck, features an office, private lounge, and a large en suite bathroom. The remaining guest cabins, consisting of two VIP suites and five double cabins, can be found on the main deck, each outfitted with en suite facilities.

AVIVA’s standout feature is a full-size padel tennis court, located in the lower deck. The yacht also features a beach club, a spa, a gym, a swimming pool, and an elevator connecting all the decks.

Similar to her sister yachts, she is also made of steel and has a solid superstructure made out of aluminum.

Powering this 98-meter-long superyacht are twin diesel-electric MTU engines capable of outputting 3,862 horsepower.

Along with her 364,705-litre fuel tanks, she can run comfortably at a speed of 14 knots and reach a max speed of 20 knots.

AVIVA can now comfortably accommodate 16 guests and carry up to 35 crew members after being refitted twice since its launch.

AVIVA Yacht Price

The estimated cost of AVIVA was around US $150 million. The annual running costs are estimated to be between US $12 to 15 million, based on usage.

AVIVA is not currently for sale or available for charter.

AVIVA yacht in Gibraltar

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The quaint Devon town where billionaire former Spurs owner has moored his £250m superyacht all summer

The superyacht is on the move around the uk after joe lewis’ sentencing for inisder trading in april, article bookmarked.

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The former owner of Tottenham Hotspur FC has moored his £250 million superyacht in the middle of a town in Devon , leaving locals baffled.

Billionaire Joe Lewis, who was recently sentenced for insider trading charges in the US, has moored his giant blue superyacht in Dartmouth for weeks after arriving in the UK tourist destination at the beginning of August.

The 322-foot (98m) luxury vessel Aviva, which the 87-year-old uses partly as a residence and partly as an office, arrived from Troon, Scotland, to the Devonshire coast around 5 August.

The yacht has been pictured dominating the entire landscape of Dartmouth, overshadowing smaller yachts that are docked in the harbour next to the small seaside that lines the shore.

The scenic coastal town of Dartmouth, situated on the banks of the River Dart, has a rich maritime heritage and boasts independent locally-owned boutiques as well as beaches such as Castle Cove and Sugary Cove that attract hundreds of visitors to the small town.

The town holds an annual regatta, one of the oldest events of its kind in the country, that invites yachts, keelboats, sports boats and dinghies to the sporting event held in its port. This year’s event took place on 29 to 31 August while Lewis’ yacht was also moored in the area.

The giant yacht is hard to miss, leaving some residents perplexed as to why such a huge boat would want to be moored in a small English town that does not offer the same tropical weather that most superyachts are spotted in .

“I love this town and I wouldn’t want to do it down but why does a billionaire want to stay here for the whole of August instead of the Caribbean or the Med?” one lifelong resident told The Sun .

"It’s just a huge floating gin palace, miles bigger than anything else in the harbour. We’ve seen his crew come and go in a tender but I don’t know if he’s even onboard – nobody’s heard anything,” they added.

It is unclear if Lewis is present on the superyacht while it is being anchored in Devon .

Aviva was built in 2017, can host 16 guests, 25 crew members, and also features an indoor padel tennis court, according to SuperYachtFan .

The superyacht had not been spotted around British waters until recently, as Aviva, along with the owner’s private jet, was put up as collateral for bail after the British billionaire’s arrest in July 2023 for insider trading charges in the US.

Lewis was not allowed to set foot on the vessel until he paid a $5m fine after his sentencing in April for sharing business secrets with friends, which also includes three years of prison.

After leaving its base in Malta following the sentencing, Aviva set sail to cities along Albania’s coast as well as the Greek island Zakynthos and Kalamata in southern Greece, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Along with the padel tennis court, the yacht also includes a helipad, spa and a cinema, and was ranked among the world’s 25-most valuable superyachts shortly after its launch, the outlet added.

Aviva is also home to one of the most expensive art collections in the world, with original works by Picasso and Matisse aboard the yacht.

Lewis made his fortune primarily in foreign exchange and investment before buying Tottenham Hotspur in 1991. He is ranked 38th among the UK’s wealthiest people, according to the Sunday Times Rich List , with a net worth of £5.3bn.

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Superyacht Aviva: The award-winning flagship from Abeking & Rasmussen

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• Yacht Charter & Superyacht News >

Written by Maria Korotaeva

The innovations in the superyacht industry are sometimes profound, oftentimes subtle and mega yacht AVIVA has examples of both: Winner of the  Boat International Superyacht Design and Innovation Awards  2018 for  Best Lifestyle Feature Design , she is the first superyacht to ever have an indoor padel tennis court, and the logistics behind this new feature have set the groundwork for future designs.

AVIVA. Aft view. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

Built in 2017 for UK billionaire Joe Lewis, 98m/322ft superyacht AVIVA is the largest yacht ever produced by Abeking & Rasmussen and was built in 2017 for UK billionaire Joe Lewis, who has a fondness for naming his superyachts ‘AVIVA’, the first built by Feadship in 1998 and measured 62m/203ft in length. This is also not the first AVIVA Abeking & Rasmussen have delivered to the British billionaire, the first being 68m/223ft in length in 2007.

Step aboard superyacht AVIVA – tennise court. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

Reymond Langton Design created the exterior and interior styling for the current AVIVA, and although there are plenty of outdoor areas, it is clear that the focus has been placed upon the voluminous interior of 5,000 GT. The padel tennis court is her most outstanding feature and measures 20m/66ft in length, 10m/33ft wide and almost 7m/22ft in height. This technical achievement involved over 2 tons of sand to recreate the bounce, and soundproofing also came into consideration. Ceiling lighting is plentiful and there is a small, net protected lounge that can be converted into a gym.

tep aboard superyacht AVIVA – tennis court lounge area. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

“It is not only a lifestyle change for the owner but also for the crew as this is also the largest gym of any yacht,” said the designers at Raymond Langton Design. “The crew is encouraged to play with the owner and guests and when the court is not in use for padel, the net can be removed and the crew plays football and use other exercise equipment in the space. It is after all a sports hall.

AVIVA – exterior space

“The owner is adamant that this is the best padel tennis court in the world, period!”

As superyacht AVIVA is designed as a live-aboard vessel, the colour scheme is modern and practical. Warm and natural tones are used in the fabrics and leather and vibrant accents pop out from the furnishings, while glass and steel are used extensively to manipulate the light. As Joe Lewis uses AVIVA to ‘work from home’, she has excellent internet access and satellite communications, ensuring that he can keep in touch with financial developments anywhere in the world.

Aviva. Photo credit Lewis Yach

Motor yacht Aviva. Photo credit @patrickfranciscarr

The exterior has a large swim platform and beach club in the stern form a large guest area beside the water, and a number of shaded and sun-exposed aft lounging areas run from the main deck up to the sundeck, which are connected by under-lit glass staircases that enhance the atmosphere on board at night. The sundeck is the centre of outdoor activity and here guests have a choice of circular sunpads or secluded sunbathing spots close to the helm station.

Top view. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

Her technical performance is exemplary as well: A hybrid propulsion system allows AVIVA to travel at 11 knots using electric motors, allowing her access to more sensitive natural areas due to zero emissions. At full speed, she is capable of 20 knots and research into the hull design has resulted in 20% less drag.

Yacht AVIVA. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

You can view other yachts built by Abeking & Rasmussen here .

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Superyacht Aviva: The award-winning flagship from Abeking & Rasmussen".

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This 321-Foot Superyacht Was Allegedly Used as a Secret Venue for Insider Trading, According to a Lawsuit

The securities and exchange commission claims billionaire joe lewis shared insider information while aboard the outlandish vessel., tori latham, tori latham's most recent stories.

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British billionaire Joe Lewis—the owner of the Tottenham Hotspurs—has become embroiled in an insider trading case. But there’s a surprising side character in the saga: Lewis’s superyacht , Aviva .

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Brought by the U.S. government, the suit alleges that Lewis used his connections to gain access to sensitive intel. He then shared that info with his employees, friends, and lovers so they could benefit financially. At a hearing on Wednesday, Lewis pleaded not guilty; his lawyers didn’t respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment on Thursday.

In one example of such alleged activities, Lewis learned that the oncology company Mirati Therapeutics—in which he owned a stake—had received positive results for a cancer drug. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission complaint, that info was shared over Aviva ’s dining table. Lewis then told several associates to buy stock in the company, and when those shares rose following the public reveal of the cancer-drug results, Lewis’s friends and employees sold their shares for a handsome profit.

With a current net worth of $6.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Lewis was able to snap up Aviva in 2017. At the time, it was one of the 25 most valuable superyachts in the world , and the 51 st largest yacht. Since Lewis was charged this week, the vessel has left the Bahamas, and early Thursday it was heading away from the U.S. toward Bermuda, according to vessel data cited by Bloomberg.

For his part, Lewis can no longer board the superyacht: He used the ship and his private jet as collateral for a $300 million bail package on Wednesday. So it’s bon voyage to Aviva for now.

Tori Latham is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. She was previously a copy editor at The Atlantic, and has written for publications including The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter. When not…

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Tottenham billionaire owner Joe Lewis has an amazing £113m superyacht, which features a full sized tennis court

• Published : 12:22, 16 Sep 2022
• Updated : 15:29, 16 Sep 2022
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WHEN you have an estimated wealth of around £4.3billion, you aren't going to skimp on boys' toys.

And billionaire Spurs owner Joe Lewis is testament to that fact - owning an astonishing £113million superyacht which measures 321-feet long.

The East End-born businessman is believed to live on board the Aviva, once spotted docked on the Thames , which has been referred to as his mobile office.

Better still, it has everything an 85-year-old would need in terms of amenities, including the very first full-size indoor tennis court ever installed on a yacht.

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Lewis does not need to  be on dry land to get his tennis fix.

After all, he has an incredible tennis court built into the Aviva - the first of its kind - that he and his guests can play on.

At 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, the court area goes up to 6.65 metres high.

And it's not just for tennis, as the yacht's designer Reymond Langton explained.

"It is not only a lifestyle change for the owner but also for the crew as this is also the largest gym of any yacht," the British design studio told Yacht Harbour .

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"The crew is encouraged to play with the owner and guests and when the court is not in use for padel (tennis), the net can be removed and the crew plays football and use other exercise equipment in the space.

"It is after all a sports hall."

A MOBILE OFFICE

Lewis, who made his millions in currency trading after running several restaurants and nightclubs from the 1960s, spends most of the year on his boat.

For the Spurs boss, it's not just a place where he can enjoy a luxurious life, the Aviva is perfect for working remotely.

"Communication and information are critical to me." Lewis said in an interview with regards to his requirements for his floating office.

"To be effective, I need reliable phones and internet, these have improved much over the past few years, but, it is too expensive, too slow and not consistently reliable.

"Aviva is more than an office; it is also my home for much of the year. So for me, it is relaxing working from home, wherever Aviva may be in the world."

It can also be used to entertain, just as it was when he invited the Spurs team on board in 2013 during their tour of the Bahamas.

Then-skipper Michael Dawson said: "I had never met him before, so it was nice to go over there and a great experience.

“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."

BAHAMAS-READY

It's mostly in the Bahamas where Lewis - among the richest men in the UK - spends his days as a tax exile.

And the Aviva, which can house up to 16 guests, is fully equipped for the Caribbean lifestyle.

The exterior relaxation area features a circular set of lounging pads on the sun deck, as well as smaller lounging pads towards the yacht's bridge.

A cool swimming platform can also open up into the sea, that means you can have your own beach area with Aviva's tenders coming out of side doors.

Talking about boys' toys, the superyacht even has a speedboat and jet skis on board.

PERFORMANCE

The German-built Aviva, the 46th longest yacht in the world, took three years to complete.

And it's certainly not lacking in spec, either.

Powered by an eco-friendly drive system, it can reach a top speed of 20 knots.

The unique hull design that comes together with an electric propulsions system means that less fuel is used.

Unbelievably, the Aviva can cruise at 11 knots purely on electric power only.

Now, where can we get one?

• Football features
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The first yacht to house a  full-sized 

Padel tennis court.

98M SUPERYACHT- 'AVIVA' 

Joe Lewis, the British billionaire, Chairman of Tavistock Group and the 5th richest man in the UK, commissioned this stunning superyacht which was launched in January 2017. She is believed to be valued at US$250 million! That’s £204,225,000.00 GBP!  

When Joe’s not at his home in the Bahamas, where Tavistock Group is based, he will be enjoying the luxury on board this 98-metre (322 ft) vessel. He says it’s his ‘home away from home’ and spends much of the year on board, using it as a floating office, wherever in the world it might be. 

At the time, Aviva was the largest creation designed by Reymond Langton. It was built by Abeking & Rasmussen who had to create a special system and pontoon in order to launch the super structure, 33 months after signing the contract. 

Her hybrid drive system is a special feature whereby using just electric power, and not the main engines, she can cruise at 11 knots. With an eco-friendly system that requires less engine output and reduced fuel consumption, she can reach a max speed of 20 knots. 

She sleeps 16 guests in 8 cabins and accommodates a crew of 25 over 12 cabins. 

TENNIS COURT

  Although you won’t see Aviva in the first half of the ‘top 100 largest yachts in the world’, she is the first yacht to house a full-sized padel tennis court. The indoor court stretches across a 10 metre width, 20 metre length, and 6.65 metre height. It’s hard to imagine a space like this inside any type of yacht, but with her 5000 gross tonnage of interior volume, the size of the court didn’t have to be compromised. 

 Joe plays the sport with his guests or his crew members, who are also encouraged to use the ‘sports hall’ for football and other exercise activities when the net is removed. Not only that, but there is a small lounging area for spectators, hidden behind a protective net. 

Aviva’s tenders are launched through her side doors, and she also boasts a ‘beach club’ area created by a swimming platform that opens up onto the ocean.  

This year Forbes valued Joe Lewis at £4.358 Billion

  The 82-year-old owner has an impressive portfolio after starting his career at the age of 15, joining his father’s catering company in London. He made his initial wealth from the sale of that company in 1979, then switched his residency to the Bahamas and moved into currency trading. He now has investments in over 200 businesses and is a Tottenham Hotspur FC major shareholder.  

FOURTH YACHT

  Prior to his 98-meter flagship, Joe owned 3 other yachts. His first was a 62-meter Feadship in 1998, called Lady Aviva. However, this caught fire later, in the Red Sea, and was eventually salvaged by Dennis Washington, who transformed the yacht, renaming her Attessa III. Joe’s second yacht was the 60-meter Oceanco, named Alfa Four, which was built in 2004. She is now known as Sea Pearl. In 2007, Joe took delivery of a 68-meter Aviva, also built by Abeking & Rasmussen. 

Joe must like his toys as we are also aware that he owns a private jet worth US$30 million (£24,504,600.00 GBP). The Embraer Legacy 600, which seats 12 passengers, has a registration that refers to Tottenham Hotspurs FC and reads; ‘G-THFC’. 

 Aviva was recently moored at Keppel Bay in Singapore, where we managed to get a few shots of her in all her glory! 

The blue innovative steel hull design really stands out in the crowd.  

  For more Motor Yacht News, click the link below.

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The art of the trade: On Joe Lewis’s 250-foot yacht

Joe Lewis isn’t afraid of risk. That’s one thing his Lake Nona investment makes clear–as does a tour of his 250-foot yacht, Aviva , while it was docked at Albany, his ultraluxe residential and golf development in Nassau, Bahamas. (Tiger Woods is a partner.)

I quickly realized that Lewis could probably fund Lake Nona forever simply by selling the art housed on this floating museum. He’s a top collector of modern and contemporary art, and I came nose to nose with a Picasso, a Klimt, a Lucian Freud, a Cézanne, a Chagall, and a Modigliani. I couldn’t help wondering what a freak wave would do to the global art market–and what his insurance bill looks like. The collection will soon have a new home: Lewis is building a larger (300-foot) boat, which will feature a court for his passion, padel tennis (a mix of squash and tennis).

Lewis himself is surprisingly approachable. A slight but fit 78-year-old with a bit of a Cockney accent, he showed me around with a schoolboy’s pride. In addition to the art, the yacht, decorated in royal reds and golds, boasts a starkly modern office, complete with a Bloomberg terminal and multiple trading screens. Lewis trades here every day. He says he tends to bet on liquid currencies such as the pound or the yen. In April he told me that the euro was too high and that the dollar would stay strong for a while. “Being a trader means that you are wrong at the very least three times out of 10,” he says, “and that is very hard.” At this point in his life, Lewis says he doesn’t want to do anything that’s not worth it. Lake Nona, he says, is iconic–and that’s what makes him happiest. “We’re not good at mediocrity,” he says.

This story is from the June 30, 2014 issue of  Fortune .

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Ex-Tottenham owner Joe Lewis has £113m superyacht with a tennis court on

Joe lewis owns an incredible superyacht with an indoor tennis court built into it..

Joe Lewis, the billionaire who previously owned Tottenham , has an incredible superyacht which boasts an indoor tennis court. Lewis holds a number of assets through his Tavistock Group investment portfolio which formerly included ENIC, the company that purchased a controlling stake in Tottenham in 2001. The ownership of ENIC was passed to the Lewis Family Discretionary Trust two years ago and Lewis is not a beneficiary. He has not had significant control of Tottenham since the ownership changed hands, with the family trust managed by two independent trustees. Like many billionaires, Lewis boasts a number of material assets but the most spectacular is undoubtedly his incredible superyacht. Usually seen in the Bahamas, the Aviva is one of the longest yachts in the world and has a one-of-a-kind tennis court built into it.

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Yacht Aviva on the Hudson River above the George Washington Bridge, New York. Photo by Acroterion via wikipedia.

Joe Lewis’ $250 Million Yacht Sets Sail After He Pays US Fine

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By Ben Stupples and Ava Benny-Morrison

(Bloomberg) –Joe Lewis’ superyacht is on the move again after spending most of the past year holed up in a Mediterranean port while the British billionaire faced insider-trading charges in the US.

His 322-foot (98-meter) Aviva — which he put up as collateral for bail —  has traveled more than 400 nautical miles from Malta to cities along Albania’s coast as well as the Greek island of Zakynthos since he was sentenced April 4 to three years probation, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

After departing Zakynthos earlier this week, the Tavistock Group founder’s yacht was near Kalamata in southern Greece on Thursday morning local time, the data show. It’s the most the roughly $250 million vessel has traveled in about seven months, though it’s unclear if Lewis is on board.

Lewis, 87, pledged his yacht along with his private jet to secure his release following his arrest in July. A few months later, Aviva docked until April 5 in the Maltese capital of Valletta, where it can cost as much as €750 ($800) a night to moor vessels that exceed 75 meters.

Lewis, who was scheduled to have eye surgery in London recently, was prohibited from setting foot on the yacht that has long served as part-residence, part-office while awaiting trial. He was only allowed on board after paying a $5 million fine after sentencing, which he settled soon after the verdict in Manhattan.

A representative for Lewis, who has a net worth of about $7.3 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, declined to comment.

Lewis, whose global empire includes five-star hotels, private lenders and enclaves for the wealthy, launched Aviva in 2017. It includes eight guest suites, a helipad, padel tennis court, spa and a cinema. It ranked among the world’s 25-most valuable superyachts shortly after its launch, alongside those owned by Middle Eastern royals.

The yacht has also displayed works from Lewis’ private art collection, which is valued at more than $1 billion and includes pieces by Picasso, Freud, Klimt and Degas.

Events that authorities say took place on the yacht were a key piece of evidence that prosecutors used against him. 

At dinner one night in September 2019, the billionaire received favorable news about Mirati Therapeutics Inc., an oncology company where he was a major investor, leading him to pass along the tip to a host of people, including the pilots of his private jet, according to US regulators.

Those pilots — Bryan “Marty” Waugh and Patrick O’Connor — were also charged with trading on inside information. O’Connor pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy and is due to be sentenced in May, while Waugh is fighting the charges.

© 2024 Bloomberg L.P.

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Tottenham hotspur owner joe lewis posts $300m bond with help of superyacht, private plane in insider trading case.

That’s a boatload of money.

British Billionaire and Tottenham Hotspur soccer club owner Joe Lewis is putting up his superyacht and private plane to secure a $300 million bond so he can walk free after he was arrested on insider trading charges .

Lewis, 86, surrendered to federal authorities in New York on Wednesday morning on charges he gave inside information to a slew of people in his life — including romantic partners, friends, personal assistants and even private pilots — who made millions by using his tips on the stock market.

Lewis later appeared in Manhattan federal court wearing a grey suit, white shirt and black tie and told the judge he pleaded “not guilty.”

He was released on a $300 million bond that will be secured by his yacht, called “AVIVA,” and his personal plane.

AVIVA is a $250 million superyacht that was built in 2017 and is one of the largest yachts in the world at 322 feet in length, according to Yachtbible.com .

Lewis must keep the FBI abreast of the movements of his yacht, and he is only allowed to use his plane to travel to court appearances, according to the agreed-upon bail conditions.

The soccer club owner — who is worth $6.1 billion, according to Forbes — cannot go abroad and his US travel is limited to parts of New York and Florida.

Lewis, who founded the investment firm Tavistock Group, was hit with a 19-count indictment on charges of securities fraud and conspiracy.

The feds say that from 2019 through 2021 Lewis shared confidential intel about companies including Mirati Therapeutics, Solid Biosciences and Australian Agricultural Co.

He also allegedly conspired to defraud Mirati, the US Securities and Exchange Commission and investors from 2013 through 2018 by hiding his over 20% stake in Mirati — a cancer therapy company, according to the indictment.

The billionaire then lent his own money so that people could invest the cash based on his tips — including in October 2019 when Lewis wired $1 million to two pilots so they could buy shares of Mirati, prosecutors claim.

“Boss lent Marty and I $500,000 each for this,” the indictment alleges one of the pilots said in a text to a friend.

The aviator went on to say, “the Boss has inside info” because “otherwise why would he make us invest,” the court papers allege.

The two pilots paid the money back after the stock spiked by 16.7% when Mirati announced a successful clinical trial, prosecutors claim.

“The government has made an egregious error in judgment in charging Mr. Lewis, an 86-year-old man of impeccable integrity and prodigious accomplishment,” defense attorney David Zornow said in a statement Wednesday.

“Mr. Lewis has come to the US voluntarily to answer these ill-conceived charges, and we will defend him vigorously in court.”

The pilots, Patrick O’Connor and Bryan Waugh, were also charged in the case. They pleaded not guilty at the Wednesday arraignment and were each released on a $250,000 bond.

Attorneys for Waugh didn’t return requests for comment Wednesday. O’Connor’s lawyers declined to comment.

Lewis is due back in court on Sept. 5.

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Tottenham billionaire owner Joe Lewis has an amazing £113m superyacht, which features a full sized tennis court

• Published : 7:22 ET, Sep 16 2022
• Updated : 10:31 ET, Sep 16 2022
• Published : Invalid Date,

WHEN you have an estimated wealth of around £4.3billion, you aren't going to skimp on boys' toys.

And billionaire Spurs owner Joe Lewis is testament to that fact - owning an astonishing £113million superyacht which measures 321-feet long.

The East End-born businessman is believed to live on board the Aviva, once spotted docked on the Thames, which has been referred to as his mobile office.

Better still, it has everything an 85-year-old would need in terms of amenities, including the very first full-size indoor tennis court ever installed on a yacht.

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NEW BALLS, PLEASE

Lewis does not need to  be on dry land to get his tennis fix.

After all, he has an incredible tennis court built into the Aviva - the first of its kind - that he and his guests can play on.

At 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, the court area goes up to 6.65 metres high.

And it's not just for tennis, as the yacht's designer Reymond Langton explained.

"It is not only a lifestyle change for the owner but also for the crew as this is also the largest gym of any yacht," the British design studio told Yacht Harbour .

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"The crew is encouraged to play with the owner and guests and when the court is not in use for padel (tennis), the net can be removed and the crew plays football and use other exercise equipment in the space.

"It is after all a sports hall."

A MOBILE OFFICE

Lewis, who made his millions in currency trading after running several restaurants and nightclubs from the 1960s, spends most of the year on his boat.

For the Spurs boss, it's not just a place where he can enjoy a luxurious life, the Aviva is perfect for working remotely.

"Communication and information are critical to me." Lewis said in an interview with regards to his requirements for his floating office.

"To be effective, I need reliable phones and internet, these have improved much over the past few years, but, it is too expensive, too slow and not consistently reliable.

"Aviva is more than an office; it is also my home for much of the year. So for me, it is relaxing working from home, wherever Aviva may be in the world."

It can also be used to entertain, just as it was when he invited the Spurs team on board in 2013 during their tour of the Bahamas.

Then-skipper Michael Dawson said: "I had never met him before, so it was nice to go over there and a great experience.

“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."

BAHAMAS-READY

It's mostly in the Bahamas where Lewis - among the richest men in the UK - spends his days as a tax exile.

And the Aviva, which can house up to 16 guests, is fully equipped for the Caribbean lifestyle.

The exterior relaxation area features a circular set of lounging pads on the sun deck, as well as smaller lounging pads towards the yacht's bridge.

A cool swimming platform can also open up into the sea, that means you can have your own beach area with Aviva's tenders coming out of side doors.

Talking about boys' toys, the superyacht even has a speedboat and jet skis on board.

PERFORMANCE

The German-built Aviva, the 46th longest yacht in the world, took three years to complete.

And it's certainly not lacking in spec, either.

Powered by an eco-friendly drive system, it can reach a top speed of 20 knots.

The unique hull design that comes together with an electric propulsions system means that less fuel is used.

Unbelievably, the Aviva can cruise at 11 knots purely on electric power only.

Now, where can we get one?

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