The FBI has been closing in on Ryan Wedding, the former Canadian Olympic athlete who represented the Great White North at the 2002 Olympics. He was added to the FBI’s infamous Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list back in March of this year and last month the FBI upped the reward for his capture to $15 million for the alleged murder of a witness.
Following the reward being upped to $15M, the FBI announced they had seized an extremely rare and prized 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster from Wedding. The ultracar is valued at around $13 million.
FBI Seizes $13M 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster From Ryan Wedding
While Wedding remains on the lam, the FBI didn’t waste any time showing off his prized possession they had seized. There were only six 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadsters made that year. In total, only 28 CLK GTRs were ever produced that are road safe: 20 coupes, 6 roadsters, and 2 prototypes.
The FBI’s Los Angeles office announced the seizure on social media and valued the vehicle at $13 million. Photos of the rare vehicle were shared almost as if they were trying to bait the alleged drug kingpin to come out of hiding after seeing this.
It was worldwide news when the FBI added Ryan Wedding to the infamous Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list earlier this year. Then it was massive news last month when the FBI announced it had made 10 arrests tied to the case.
They branded Wedding as a “Olympic Athlete-Turned-Cocaine Trafficker” and allege he ordered the murder of a witness. The FBI’s pursuit of Ryan Wedding is being called “Operation Giant Slalom.”
After those arrests, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said “whether you’re a kingpin or a dealer on the street, anyone who sells drugs to our kids will be arrested and prosecuted. Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel. We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled.”
The alleged murder is said to have taken place in Colombia earlier this year.
The 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster
Following the seizure of the vehicle, the FBI announced the 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster was valued at $13 million. Part of what makes this Roadster so special is it was first created as a GT1 race car and somehow found its way to the street, even though only 28 were made (26 + 2 prototypes).
It goes 0-to-60MPH in 3.6 seconds with a top speed of around 200MPH, powered by a 6.9-liter naturally aspirated AMG V12 engine that pumps out around 612 horsepower. This is a true supercar and it is certainly natural to wonder how, if only 28 exist anywhere on earth, one of them found their way into the hands of a former Canadian Olympic athlete turned alleged drug kingpin.