The Stolen Ferrari F50 FBI Saga
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector
The story of the stolen Ferrari F50 is one of deception, crime, and government negligence, culminating in an embarrassing wreck that left insurance companies and federal agencies in a legal battle. This guide breaks down the bizarre journey of one of the rarest Ferraris ever made and how it ended up in the hands of the FBI—only to be totaled in a suspicious accident.
In 2003, a Ferrari F50, one of only 349 ever built, sat gleaming in the showroom of Algar Ferrari in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. Enter Tom Baker, a smooth-talking airline pilot with a taste for fast cars. Posing as a tech CEO from California, he convinced the dealership that he was a serious buyer. Without a driver's license but with an air of confidence, Baker managed to take the F50 on a test drive.
What happened next was straight out of a heist movie. The moment the salesman stepped out of the car, Baker floored it, disappearing over the horizon in a $500,000 supercar. Authorities believed it would be quickly smuggled overseas, but Baker had a different plan—he kept it for himself, hiding it in suburban Kentucky.
For five years, the stolen F50 remained a ghost in the automotive world. Baker, a seasoned conman, had stolen multiple Ferraris in the past, including a Testarossa and a 328 GTS. But in 2008, he attempted to sell the F50 to an emergency room doctor in Kentucky. The sale seemed legitimate until the doctor contacted Ferrari to verify the VIN and engine number. That's when the truth was uncovered—the car was stolen.
Panicked, Baker refunded the doctor's money, but it was too late. Law enforcement was alerted, and the FBI seized the F50. Baker was arrested and sentenced to prison, ending his criminal joyrides.
Motors Insurance Corp., which had paid Algar Ferrari for the stolen F50, was relieved to hear it had been recovered. But they wouldn't see it again in one piece.
In May 2009, FBI Special Agent Frederick Kingston and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Hamilton Thompson took the Ferrari for a drive in Kentucky. The official story was that they were moving the vehicle to a storage facility, but within seconds of leaving the parking lot, disaster struck. The F50 lost control, fishtailed, and slammed into a tree. The carbon-fiber frame was severely damaged, rendering the car a total loss.
While Thompson's email described the crash as a minor mishap, photos revealed the extent of the damage—the monocoque was broken, and the car was beyond repair. The insurance company, stunned by the destruction of the car they legally owned, demanded compensation.
Initially, the FBI told Motors Insurance they could file a claim for damages. However, in 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice denied the claim, arguing that the Ferrari was 'being detained by the FBI' at the time of the wreck. According to federal law, the government cannot be sued for property damage when an asset is in law enforcement custody.
Motors Insurance, unwilling to accept the loss, filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests seeking details about the crash. The FBI and DOJ ignored or denied these requests. Frustrated, the insurance company filed a lawsuit in federal court to force the agencies to release information and compensate them for the $750,000 loss.
Despite mounting legal pressure, the FBI refused to admit fault, sticking to its position that it was not liable for damages. The insurance company argued that the car was not being 'detained' but rather had been voluntarily lent to the FBI, making them responsible for its destruction.
As the case dragged on, a key question emerged—why was the Ferrari being driven in the first place? If it was purely being relocated, why did it crash within seconds? Some suspected a joyride gone wrong, as high-powered supercars require an experienced driver to handle them, especially one as rare and powerful as the F50.
Meanwhile, the remains of the wrecked Ferrari disappeared from public view. Whether it was scrapped, stored, or salvaged remains a mystery. What is clear, however, is that a car once stolen by a daring conman was ultimately wrecked in the hands of those sworn to uphold the law.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
29 minutes ago
- Fox News
Boulder suspect spent a year planning Molotov cocktail attack on pro-Israel march: docs
The Boulder, Colorado domestic terrorism suspect spent a year preparing to hurl Molotov cocktails into a peaceful pro-Israel march, court documents revealed. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national whose visa, which was granted during the Biden administration, expired in March 2025, told federal authorities that the violence was a long time in the making. In an interview with authorities, according to the federal complaint, the suspect said he was waiting for his daughter's graduation before carrying out the attack. Following his daughter's milestone, he allegedly proceeded with his plan. Court documents say he researched how to build incendiary weapons on YouTube, collected the ingredients over time, and transported the homemade devices to Boulder in his silver Toyota Prius. On Sunday, June 1 at 12:55 p.m. MST, Soliman arrived early to the gathering, according to the complaint. He told authorities that he discovered "Run For Their Lives," a group organizing weekly walks to bring awareness to the Israeli hostages, through social media. As participants assembled in Boulder's Pearl Street area, Soliman allegedly yelled "Free Palestine!" and launched two lit Molotov cocktails into the throngs of people at 2 p.m. MST. He was arrested shortly after. The incident, which the FBI described as a "targeted terror attack," left eight people, ages 52 to 88, with injuries, including one in critical condition. None of the victims have died. READ THE FEDERAL COMPLAINT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE Soliman later told investigators he specifically targeted what he called a "Zionist group" and wished they were all dead. "I would do it again," he told authorities, according to the complaint. According to the affidavit, Soliman was motivated by "Zionists." He told officers that the people at the event represented an existential threat to "our land," referring to Palestine, and that they had to be stopped. Law enforcement recovered at least 14 unlit Molotov cocktails, along with gasoline, red rags, and a weed sprayer that may have been intended for dispersing flammable liquid, according to the complaint. Inside his vehicle were papers bearing the words "Israel," "Palestine," and "USAID," authorities said. WATCH: Witnesses capture alleged suspect on video following Boulder attack A video later posted on X appeared to show the suspect shirtless and pacing, holding one of the makeshift weapons and shouting, "How many children killed?" followed by, "End Zionist." Law enforcement also searched Soliman's home, where he said he had left a journal and an iPhone containing messages to his family. His wife later turned over the phone to authorities. A storage unit behind the residence, linked to Soliman by a neighbor, was also investigated. Soliman is charged with violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 249(a)(1) and (a)(2), federal hate crime statutes involving acts motivated by race, religion, or national origin.
UPI
31 minutes ago
- UPI
Man charged with federal hate crime, attempted murder in Colorado
June 2 (UPI) -- The 45-year-old man accused of using a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to burn people demonstrating in support of Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colo., was charged with a federal hate crime and is facing 16 state counts of attempted murder on Monday. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, of Colorado Springs, was booked into the Boulder County jail on Sunday night after the attack near the county courthouse. Soliman appeared in county court Monday, during which bond was set at $10 million, and is due back Thursday when charges will be formally filed. He is facing 16 counts of attempted murder in the first degree, eight counts of first-degree assault and 18 counts of possession of an incendiary device. This could add up to at least 384 years of prison time on conviction. In federal court, he is being charged with commission of a hate crime, acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell said during a news conference. Soliman would face the maximum sentence of life in prison. Soliman, an Egyptian national, entered Canada in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired in February 2023 and his asylum claim was pending, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "The Colorado Terrorist attack suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is illegally in our country," she said in a post on X. "He filed for asylum in September 2022. Victims Authorities increased the number of those hurt to 12 from eight on Monday. Four women and four men hospitalized range from 52 to 88. Two people were airlifted to a hospital in Aurora near Denver, an FBI official said. Boulder is 30 miles north of Denver. The other victims have been released from Boulder hospitals. Those injured included an 88-year-old woman, who is a Holocaust refugee from Europe. Rabbi Israel Wilhem, the Chabad director at the University of Colorado in Boulder, told CBS Colorado she is "very loving person." "Holocaust survivors should not spend the final chapter of their lives experiencing or witnessing this hatred again," Leo Terrell, the Justice Department official in charge of the antisemitism task force," posted on X. "We must fight this terror together." Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said the newly identified victims suffered minor injuries and learned about them when they came forward to be interviewed. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose mother was born in a concentration camp and his grandparents survived the Holocaust, said the attack was "very cruel" and has "every single hallmark of being a hate crime." "This was a peaceful march done every single week by the Jewish community, calling out the injustices of the hostages, and they were attacked because of who they are," he said on MSNBC. "It is heart-wrenching for all of us in Colorado." FBI Director Kash Patel has called the incident "a targeted terror attack." What happened Mark Michalek, the FBI special agent in charge, said witnesses reported hearing the suspect yell "Free Palestine" during the attack. "It is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism," he said. The suspect told investigators he "wanted to kill all Zionist people" and "he would do it again," according to an affidavit filed Monday. Soliman told investigators the attack was planned for a year, according to a federal criminal complaint, and he arrived at the gathering about five minutes before it started. He said he looked up videos on how to make Molotov cocktails on YouTube and purchased the items needed to make them, the complaint stated. A black plastic container with 14 unlit Molotov cocktails was found near where he was arrested. It include "glass wine carafe bottles or Ball jars containing clear liquid and red rags hanging out of the bottles," the affidavit said. Soliman "mentioned several times he wanted to be dead" in interviews with law enforcement, the warrant read. Soliman was not on the authorities' radar before the attack. Boulder's Redfearn said his officers didn't have previous "contacts" with him. One witness told NBC News he was dressed like a groundskeeper. "When I walked by the gentleman, I didn't know who he was, but thought he was out of place and odd," Lisa Turnquist, 66, said. "It wasn't 10 seconds later, I felt fluid on my leg and another lady had been burned." Turnquist, who was not injured, said she was with about 20 other members of Boulder Run for Their Lives when they were attacked. On Monday, Turnquist, who is Jewish and lives in Louisville, placed flowers at a makeshift memorial. Reaction The pro-Israel advocacy group the Anti-Defamation League said the demonstrators attacked in a statement were participants of the weekly Run for Their Lives event, which sees Jewish community members run and walk in solidarity with Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity. "Today, America bore witness to yet another heinous act of anti-Semitism designed to terrorize a peaceful community," Colorado Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement Sunday. "This type of hate-filled violence has no place in our civilized society and must be universally condemned." The attack, which was near Pearl St. Mall in downtown Boulder, occurred just before 1:30 p.m. MDT, authorities said. Police found victims suffering from burns. The ADL on Sunday said, "We're witnessing a global campaign of intimidation and terror deliberately directed against the Jewish people." According to the ADL, there have been nine plots or attacks allegedly targeting Jews or Jewish institutions in the United States in the past 11 months, a sharp increase compared with seven January 2020 to June of last year. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Sunday's attack "will not be tolerated." "He came in through Biden's ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly. He must go out under 'TRUMP' Policy," the president said. "Acts of Terrorism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law," Trump wrote. "This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland. My heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, and the Great People of Boulder, Colorado!" Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X: "There is NO room in the United States for the rest of the world's terrorist sympathizers. Anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for antisemitic violence and terrorism - think again. You are not welcome here. We will find you, deport you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims, families, and people of Boulder, Colorado. This evil has to STOP now." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X: "This attack was aimed against peaceful people who wished to express their solidarity with the hostages held by Hamas, simply because they were Jews. "I trust the American authorities will prosecute the cold-blooded perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law and will do everything possible to prevent future attacks against innocent civilians. "The antisemitic attacks around the world are a direct result of blood libels against the Jewish state and people, and this must be stopped."
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'A nice regular man': Boulder suspect shocks quiet Colorado neighborhood
(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — Neighbors of the Boulder attack suspect say they were 'shocked,' and 'scared,' when they heard about the 45-year-old's alleged transgressions at a protest in Pearl Street Mall. On Sunday, June 1, police were called to Pearl Street Mall in Boulder after reports of an attack on a group of individuals. The suspect, 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, of El Paso County, reportedly used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device onto the ground. According to the Boulder Police Department, witnesses heard him yell 'Free Palestine' during the attack. During the attack, eight victims were injured, four men and four women between the ages of 52 through 88. The attack occurred during a weekly peaceful protest in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza. According to the federal complaint, Soliman confessed to the attack after being taken into custody on Sunday. DOJ: Boulder attack suspect facing federal hate crime charges That same day, police raided a home in the Cimarron Hills neighborhood in Colorado Springs. According to those who live in the area, the neighborhood off Constitution Avenue is often quiet and safe. JoEllen Cable, who said she's only been there for two months, noted the neighborhood is 'relatively safe.' '90% of the time is quiet,' said Cable. 'We have people working, people are trying to make ends meet, and so they work.' On Sunday afternoon, neighbors could see a heavy police presence on one specific street in the neighborhood. One neighbor, Michael Michaelis, recalled the FBI bursting into the townhome off Washo Circle. 'They went ahead and ran inside,' said Michaelis. 'They also had some kind of remote-controlled cart thing, too.' FBI: Pearl Street suspect was from El Paso County Another neighbor noted that there was a heavy police presence all day. The man, who decided to remain anonymous, told FOX21 he was shocked to hear about Soliman. 'I've had good words with him, he was a nice regular guy,' said the neighbor. 'He went to work with his family, you didn't bother him, he didn't bother you, so I'm completely shocked. He was super nice.' The neighbor said Soliman was an Uber driver and was 'gone a lot.' According to the man, Soliman's children and his played together. The federal complaint revealed that Soliman lived with his wife and five children at the home located in Cimarron Hills. 'It's sad,' said the man. 'You never know what can push someone over the edge… You just never know.' While some neighbors were surprised, Michaelis said events like these happen everywhere. Soliman is being held at the Boulder County Jail on a $10 million bond. Soliman is facing federal hate crime charges in addition to state charges. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
