What’s the most you’ve ever spent on parking? Sometimes, parking at a sporting event, concert, or even a hotel can be expensive. However, we’d wager you’ve never seen a $450,000 bill for parking before. Recently, a former dictator’s son learned he owes a hotel that amount after leaving his Cadillac Escalade SUV parked on their property for 15 years.
A former dictator’s son owes a hotel $450,000 for parking
Gaddafi's son must pay £300k hotel bill to get car back https://t.co/KGRlim5kLp via @MailOnline
— nick pisa (@NickPisa) April 12, 2022
According to Auto Evolution, Al-Saadi Gaddafi, son of the late Muammar Gaddafi, is a retired professional soccer player. His father was the former supreme leader of Libya. Long, long ago in 2007, the dictator’s son stayed at the five-star Hotel Excelsior in Rapallo, Italy. At the time, he was playing for the Italian team Sampdoria and would regularly throw parties in hotel suites.
After the team dropped him one day, he left the hotel without his vehicle and without paying the bill. As a result, his Cadillac Escalade ESV 6.2-liter hasn’t moved from outside the hotel. Along with it is a $450,000 bill for parking that’s spanned a decade and a half. That has to be the most expensive parking bill ever paid. According to AE, the hotel attempted to contact Gaddafi multiple times, but he continually ignored letters and more.
The hotel took Gaddafi to court to pay the most expensive parking bill ever
Al-Saadi Gaddafi in 2001 | Kurita KAKU/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
After all this time, the hotel took action against the former soccer player. Moreover, the court ordered him to pay his debt to the hotel, along with an additional $4,330 in legal fees. Hotel officials began to refer to the Escalade as a tourist attraction, as it had been there for so long.
The Daily Mail spoke with Excelsior director Aldo Werdin: “We have been waiting 15 years for Mr. Gaddafi to settle his bill. Over the last few years, we have tried many times to try and get this matter resolved but with no success. We even contacted the Libyan Embassy in Rome, but they were unable to help.”
“He left the car at the front of the hotel, and we don’t even have the keys for it. It’s actually become a bit of an attraction with people stopping to take a look at it,” he added. “We have to give it a clean every now and then as having a dirty car outside the hotel wouldn’t be very good for guests, and it doesn’t even have an Italian log book, so we couldn’t drive it here.”
Most expensive parking bill ever for 15 years of parking
2007 Cadillac Escalade | Jamie McCarthy/WireImage via Getty Images
Although Daily Mail didn’t report on the model year of the Cadillac Escalade, it looks like it’s from around the same year it was left. The SUV is likely a 2007, give or take a year. According to DM, the Escalade has 20-inch chrome wheels, heated front and rear seats, leather upholstery, an ebony and shale dashboard, and a 6.2-liter, 345 horsepower engine. Gadaffi shipped the car to Italy while he lived there in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, his soccer-playing career was a bit of a flop.
However, he was well-known for living a lavish lifestyle during his father’s rule. DM said he “treated Libya’s football league as his own toy, playing for several sides and at one point he was national coach.” Furthermore, in 2005 he was suspected of killing Bashir al-Riyani, a popular player who criticized his father’s regime.
What’s the most you’ve ever paid for parking?
We thought paying $30 or more at an event was a lot for parking. While the former dictator’s son can undoubtedly afford any bill, $450,000 is a steep charge. However, parking for an hour usually costs a lot, so we understand that 15 years of parking can get a bit expensive. Raising the question: Why didn’t the hotel have the Cadillac Escalade towed away 15 years ago? In the United States, Gaddafi’s Escalade wouldn’t have lasted a week.
Keyword: Most Expensive Parking Bill Ever: Former Dictator’s Son Owes a Hotel $450,000