Federal authorities have seized a $13 million 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR, one of the rarest production supercars ever built, as part of the widening Giant Slalom investigation into FBI Top Ten Fugitive Ryan Wedding and his criminal network.
Officials announced that the ultra-rare vehicle was confiscated during a series of coordinated enforcement actions tied to new indictments targeting Wedding and several of his associates. Investigators say the car, one of only six produced worldwide per Road & Track, is connected to assets obtained through Wedding's alleged narcotics empire.
The seizure comes as U.S. officials dramatically ramp up efforts to track down Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who has become one of the most wanted fugitives in North America. The State Department recently increased the reward for information leading to his capture to $15 million, while additional rewards were offered for the unidentified gunmen who killed a potential witness earlier this year in Medellín, Colombia.
Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics but allegedly shifted into narcotics trafficking after retirement. U.S. and Canadian authorities now describe him as one of the world's most prolific cocaine distributors, comparing his operation to those once run by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán and Pablo Escobar.
At a press conference in Washington, D.C., officials said Wedding's organization moved more than 60 metric tons of cocaine per year and generated over $1 billion annually in illicit proceeds. According to investigators, Wedding is believed to be living in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel while helping funnel massive quantities of cocaine into the U.S. and Canada.
In newly unsealed indictments, Wedding is accused of ordering the murder of a federal witness who was executed with five shots to the head in January, allegedly on the advice of his attorney, Deepak Paradkar, who was among seven individuals arrested in Canada this week. Officials say the witness was targeted before he could testify against Wedding in an upcoming case.
The crackdown involves the Department of Justice, FBI, State Department, Treasury Department, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has imposed sanctions cutting Wedding and his circle off from U.S.-controlled financial systems.
"Today's announcement is a culmination of the steadfast work of the FBI and our partners around the world," said FBI Director Kash Patel.
"Wedding's criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated. This is a clear signal that we will use all resources to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice."
Wedding, who stands 6'3" and weighs approximately 240 pounds, is considered armed and dangerous. FBI officials say he may alter his appearance, but emphasized they are confident he will be located.