The agreed-upon price for the Mercedes stood at $11.9 million US, a steep amount but not uncommon for the buyer, who is alleged to be involved in money laundering for a transnational criminal network.
CBC News has revealed new information regarding the acquisition of a rare Mercedes-Benz supercar last year, which was recently seized by the FBI during its investigation into Canadian fugitive Ryan Wedding.
The seizure of the 2002 CLK-GTR Roadster, believed to be the most valuable vehicle ever confiscated by U.S. federal authorities, garnered global attention. This silver beauty, considered a unicorn among car enthusiasts and reportedly sought after by Drake, is one of only six in existence. The FBI valued it at $13 million US, $1.1 million more than the purchase price from last year, as highlighted in a recent social media post.
According to documents obtained by CBC News, the Mercedes was bought last year by Rolan Sokolovski, a jeweler from the Toronto area identified by U.S. authorities as one of Wedding’s key money launderers.
While it remains uncertain if Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder accused of leading a murderous cocaine-smuggling ring, directly ordered the purchase, the car appears to be part of a network described by the U.S. Treasury Department as a “complex web” of global assets used to launder the drug money amassed by Wedding.
The bill of sale, dated Aug. 8, 2024, bears Sokolovski’s signature, with his company Diamond Tsar listed as the buyer. Treasury officials claim Sokolovski served as a bookkeeper for Wedding’s criminal enterprise worth $1 billion US, using Diamond Tsar as a front for laundering the funds.
Sokolovski, 37, allegedly handled hundreds of millions in cryptocurrency for Wedding and facilitated the purchase of jewelry and vehicles on his behalf, as outlined in court documents.
- Cross Country Checkup is seeking inquiries about former Olympian turned drug lord, Ryan Wedding. Share your questions here for a chance to be featured on our upcoming show!
Wedding, 44, is believed to be evading authorities in Mexico, with a $15 million reward offered for information leading to his capture.
A Street-Built Race Car
The Mercedes, boasting a mere 22 kilometers on the odometer, is in pristine condition.
The sales document links two exotic car dealerships in Missouri and Florida to the transaction. With a $2 million deposit from Sokolovski, the Mercedes was slated for delivery to Curated Vintage Supercars in Miami pending full payment of the $11.9 million price.
Curated Vintage Supercars celebrated the arrival of the CLK-GTR on its Facebook page, hailing it as a historic moment