The estate of a CNN journalist who was kidnapped by Hezbollah in the 1980s has joined the chase for the $10m originally due to a Greek tanker owner and seized over fraud allegations.

Lawyers for Jerry Levin's estate have filed papers in two US federal courts. They are targeting the millions of dollars that were intended to pay Polembros Shipping for the 150,812-dwt Gulf Sky (built 1998) but were instead confiscated by the US government.