NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal’s $180,000 custom Range Rover seems to have vanished. Investigators suspect a cyber heist may be to blame.
The luxury SUV, customized to accommodate the 7-foot-1 basketball icon, was being transported from Southern California to Louisiana when it mysteriously disappeared, according to officials and the dealership handling the car.
Where’d It Go?
Effortless Motors, the Riverside-based company responsible for customizing the vehicle, said it arranged the transport through what appeared to be a verified third-party shipping company. But somewhere along the route, the vehicle went missing. The company now believes hackers infiltrated the transport firm’s internal systems to divert the car into the wrong hands.
In a statement, Effortless Motors called it a “highly coordinated criminal act” that compromised the transport company’s network, allowing thieves to hijack delivery data and intercept the vehicle during transit. The dealership has since offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the Range Rover’s recovery.
The SUV, a brand-new 2025 Land Rover Range Rover, was in the process of being customized, which would have reportedly raised its value to roughly $300,000. The work was being handled by Effortless Motors, the same shop that earlier this year restored Kobe Bryant’s 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser as a gift from Shaq to Bryant’s mother, Pam.
Authorities in Georgia’s Lumpkin County, who are investigating the theft, said the incident may have involved someone impersonating a legitimate shipping contractor.
TMZ Sports reports the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office said, “Preliminary information suggests that an unauthorized individual or company may have taken possession of the vehicle under false pretenses.”
Earlier this year, Miami authorities reported a similar case involving a $300,000 Rolls-Royce that vanished after hackers reportedly changed its delivery address.
Shaq, known for his expansive car collection, estimated at 40 vehicles worth about $4 million. His fleet includes everything from Ferraris and Bentleys to Lamborghinis, many of which have been modified to fit his larger-than-life frame.
