Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Those Rich Jerks Caught On Video Racing Cars Through Beverly Hills Have Fled The Country

Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your tax-deductible donation now.

Under pressure of a police investigation, the rich jerk who owned the cars seen tearing through Beverly Hills this weekend has fled the country, according to the State Department. The yellow LaFerrari and white Porsche, stars of the viral video, are also M.I.A..

The owner has been identified as Sheik Khalid bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, the L.A. Times reports. Al-Thani was a racing enthusiast, and had invested more than $50 million into Al-Anabi Racing over the last six years, before mysteriously cutting off the sponsorship funding earlier this year.

Beverly Hills Police Department Chief Dominick Rivetti said at a news conference Thursday that the city will apply the law equally, regardless of "who you are, who you know or where you are from." This is vehement language coming from the authorities, who have admitted that the likelihood of gathering up enough evidence to charge the drivers is very slim. It's not clear whether Al-Thani was driving one of the cars himself; the video and photos taken didn't capture the drivers' faces. But those involved could be facing other legal issues: according to Rivetti, it's against federal law to claim diplomatic immunity when you don't actually have it. Plus, the LaFerrari—which had been brought in from Qatar—failed to register with the State Department.

Adam Bornstein, the car enthusiast who posted the now-viral video online, told the L.A. Times that the whole incident was "a spur-of-the-moment thing...for the whole car community, it's definitely a sad representation...Everybody's upset that this does not accurately represent what it's like."

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right