Last day to bid on luxury cars seized from pill-mill case

The U.S. Marshals Service held a live auction Saturday morning at the Hilton Austin Airport hotel.

Car enthusiasts made their way out to see what the auction had to offer.  

One of those car enthusiasts was 9-year-old Caleb Johnson, who had his eyes set on a rare exotic car.

"I really liked the Spyker, the inside is really interesting," said Caleb.

Even though Caleb isn’t tall enough to reach the steering wheel and isn’t old enough yet to have a driver’s license, he said he’s still practicing.

"I’ve been practicing with go karts and I know how to drive almost golf carts maybe,” said Caleb.

Car enthusiasts had the opportunity to make bids on high-end luxury cars.

A slate of 21 European roadsters including an Aston Martin, a Maserati, Bentleys, Lamborghinies, Porsches, and Ferraris were up for bidding.


Not only were cars up for bid, but fine jewelry and watches from other cases throughout the country were sold.
               
Deputy U.S. Marshal Will McAdam said the cars up for auction have an interesting past.  McAdam said the collection of cars belonged to some doctors who were convicted by a federal jury for writing fraudulent prescriptions.


The doctors bought the high-end cars with money from an illegal pill-mill operation said McAdam. According to McAdam the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Agency busted them, and they are serving time for the crime. 

"Subsequently they were found guilty in federal court," said McAdam.

Thanks to a U.S. Marshal Forfeiture Program, the doctors won't have those exotic cars when they get out of prison. Instead they will be sold, and the money will go to the victims of the case.

"It will go to compensate people, for the victims’ restitution and to those who have been harmed in this case," said McAdam.

Regardless of the cars' history, car enthusiasts agree that the past has been left in the dust.

"You got to be very careful. You have to look at the value of the car.  The value of the car is independent of the circumstance," said car enthusiast David Wishnew.