Ryan Wedding's $40M US motorbike collection to go up for auction
asserted
collection → go → auction
Bikes seized in December 2025 amid international manhunt for Canadian former Olympic snowboarder
A $40-million US collection of rare and high-performance motorcycles seized from Canadian alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding will go up for auction next week in Mexico.
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collection → seize → Mexico
The 61 bikes include models from Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, MV Agusta, Suzuki and Yamaha.
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bikes → include → Ducati
Some were previously used in professional racing, according to the FBI.
uncertain
Some → use → FBI
The motorcycles were uncovered during raids in the Mexican capital and nearby Mexico state last December at addresses linked to Wedding, who was then one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives.
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who → uncover → fugitives
The former Team Canada Olympic snowboarder was arrested in Mexico City the following month and flown to the U.S., where he remains in custody.
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he → arrest → custody
The Mexican public agency known as INDEP — translated as the institute to return stolen assets to the people — shared pictures of the motorcycles on its website and social media accounts ahead of next week's auction.
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agency → know → auction
A red Ducati motorcycle — set to be auctioned off ��— was among those seized in raids on properties linked to Ryan Wedding in Mexico last December.
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motorcycle → set → Mexico
Proceeds from the agency's auctions typically go to fund social services.
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Proceeds → go → services
INDEP didn't name Wedding, but announced the motorcycles were now subject to forfeiture after they were seized by law enforcement last December.
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they → name → enforcement
Some of the models pictured on the auction site match those seen in images previously shared by the FBI.
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Some → picture → FBI
Mexican media also reported the link to Wedding.
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media → report → Wedding
Following last year's raids, the FBI said in a social media post the "large number" of motorcycles seized were believed to be owned by Wedding, with an estimated total value of about $40 million US.
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number → follow → US
The U.S. agency said the operation was the result of co-operation with Mexican authorities, the RCMP and the Los Angeles Police Department.
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operation → say → authorities
Mexican authorities said more than 60 motorcycles, as well as medals, artwork and drugs were seized in a series of raids in December 2025.
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motorcycles → say → December
The FBI later said the operation targeted Ryan Wedding, then considered a most-wanted fugitive.
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operation → say → Wedding
Racing enthusiasts who examined pictures of the seized bikes last year said some were identical to those used in Grand Prix road races, including a Ducati driven by Spanish world champion Marc Márquez.
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some → examine → Márquez
The FBI previously confirmed to CBC News some of the models had been used in professional racing.
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some → confirm → racing
"There are maybe 10 or 15 of them that are literally the two-wheeled equivalent of Formula 1 cars," said Simon Patterson, a North Ireland-based journalist who covers MotoGP, told CBC News.
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who → be → News
"All in all, [this is] just an absolutely amazing collection of machines that Wedding has somehow been able to amass.
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Wedding → amass → that
The FBI said the December raids resulted in the seizure of a 'large number' of motorcycles.
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raids → say → motorcycles
The U.S. Treasury Department has said Wedding laundered his vast wealth through an "extensive transatlantic network" involving associates, businesses and luxury assets including cars and motorcycles.
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Wedding → say → cars
The FBI in Florida also seized an ultra-rare 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster, said to be worth $13 million US.
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FBI → seize → Roadster
The silver two-seater had been purchased by Toronto-area jeweller Rolan Sokolovski — described by U.S. authorities as one of Wedding's two chief money launderers.
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seater → purchase → launderers
Big-ticket assets seized by U.S. federal law enforcement are also often auctioned off, but it's unclear what will happen to the Mercedes.
uncertain
what → seize → Mercedes
An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on Monday when CBC News asked whether more Wedding-linked items would be sold off.
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items → decline → Monday
Canadian Ryan Wedding was arrested in Mexico in January 2026 and flown to California to stand trial.
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Wedding → arrest → trial
Bids start at $1,600
As for the motorcycles, INDEP said in a news release the models going up for auction range from the 1960s to the 2020s, with starting bids going from roughly to $1,600 to $192,000 Cdn., depending on the bike.
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bids → start → bike
Bidders must register by Nov. 10.
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Bidders → register → Nov.
The live auction is set to begin the following morning.
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auction → set → ?
The raids last December also netted other items, including Canadian snowboarding medals, artwork and two vehicles, authorities said at the time.
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authorities → net → time
Next week's auction, set to be held at a banquet hall in the Mexican capital, will feature 620 lots in total, including armoured vehicles, boats and aircraft.
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auction → set → vehicles
It's unclear whether any of the other goods may be connected to the Canadian.
uncertain
any → connect → Canadian
U.S. authorities have said Wedding — also known as "El Jefe" (The Boss) — fled to Mexico around 2015, when the RCMP in Montreal sought his arrest.
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RCMP → say → arrest
The Thunder Bay, Ont., native then allegedly expanded his purported cartel-linked drug-smuggling operation to a $1-billion US empire.
uncertain
native → expand → empire
Wedding has pleaded not guilty to charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering and murder.
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Wedding → plead → trafficking
The 45-year-old is set to stand trial in Los Angeles next year.
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old → set → Angeles
Prosecutors have linked Wedding's purported criminal network to multiple killings, including the mistaken-identity shooting of a family in Caledon, Ont.
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Prosecutors → link → Caledon
CBC News senior reporter Thomas Daigle has covered the case of Ryan Wedding extensively.
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Daigle → cover → Wedding
He can be reached by email at thomas.daigle@cbc.ca.
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He → reach → thomas.daigle@cbc.ca
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