Swiss Speeder Fined a Record $290,000

FROM USA TODAY:  A Swiss court has fined a multimillionaire a record $290,000 for speeding through a village at 85 mph in his red Ferrari Testarossa, news outlets in Switzerland report.

The fine is based on the unidentified speeder’s wealth and his previous fast offenses. Swiss voters approved a penalty system that replaces prison for such crimes as speeding with “day fines” based on wealth — in this case $22.7 million.

The fine is more than double the previous record, doled out to a Porsche driver in Zürich in 2008. Half must be paid upfront, and the rest is linked to good behavior during a two-year suspended sentence.  MORE»