A typical collector car auction usually features vehicles with compelling backstories, but this is far from a routine sale. This auction includes 47 premium vehicles linked to one of the largest money-laundering probes ever seen. As per a report by The Straits Times, authorities in Singapore are getting ready to sell 11 Rolls-Royces, several Ferraris and Porsches, along with other exotic and luxury cars that were seized during a massive S$3 billion (about $2.2 billion USD) money-laundering investigation.
For some context, in August 2023, the Singapore Police Force carried out an anti-money-laundering raid that resulted in the arrest of 10 people and the seizure of nearly 50 vehicles, luxury watches, jewellery and more than 100 properties. The total value of the assets taken was estimated at nearly $1 billion. Another 17 suspects had already fled Singapore before they could be arrested, but their assets, valued at around $1.4 billion, were also confiscated.
The cars have remained in storage since 2023, but they are now being offered through a closed-bid auction managed by Sgcarmart Quotz. Among the standout lots are a Ferrari SF90 Stradale and a Ferrari F8 Spider. Also going under the hammer are a Porsche 911 Targa 4S and a pair of Bentley Flying Spurs. However, the preferred marque among the suspects appears to have been Rolls-Royce, with 11 examples included in the sale. These include multiple Cullinans, Phantoms and Dawns. Every vehicle in the auction comes from the 2017–2023 model years.
These cars are not only desirable in their own right, but some also come with valuable registration numbers. In Singapore, plates such as “888” or “1” can themselves be worth nearly $50,000. At the same time, proceeds from the sale of those registration numbers may end up being useful in covering the cost of making the cars roadworthy once again.
Reports indicate that these vehicles have been standing idle for years, so they will probably need new tyres, fresh batteries and possibly additional work before they can safely return to the road. Even so, beyond that reconditioning, many of the cars seem to be in excellent shape. The Ferrari SF90 has a little over 300 miles on it, while one of the Rolls-Royce Phantoms has logged fewer than 200 miles.
Most collector cars come with tales of devoted owners, motorsport success or painstaking restorations, but this batch tells a very different story. Once the bidding closes, buyers will not simply be acquiring Ferraris, Porsches, Bentleys and Rolls-Royces. They will also be taking home a small part of one of the most extraordinary criminal investigations ever to intersect with the automotive world.
