British Columbia accused of money laundering corruption

The former British Columbia government was accused of hiding a report of alleged money laundering at one of its casinos.

Canada.- Attorney General David Eby released a report of 2016 that reported allegations of money laundering issues at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, Vancouver. The report that was released on Friday accuses the province’s former government of corruption for hiding the money laundering information.

The report revealed that Ricker Rock was predisposed to accepting single cash buy-ins of approximately US$400k from high roller VIP Asian clients that didn’t have a reliable source of funds. The gambling facility allegedly US$13.5 million in $20 bills in just July of 2015, most of the money received at unusual times and dropped off outside the casino.

The report was commissioned by British Columbia’s Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch, the government agency that oversees the operations of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), and that received complaints in the past for not bothering to check the money flowing through its gambling venues. “Law enforcement intelligence has indicated that this currency may be the direct proceeds of crime,” said the report.

The newly elected NDP-Green coalition government said that it will conduct an independent review to establish what measures are necessary to comply with anti money laundering laws at British Columbia casinos.

“The problem of money laundering is complex, but a committed government can make a difference. We are serious about doing everything we can to identify money laundering activities, and ensure policies are in place to prevent it from occurring in B.C. casinos,” said Eby.

BCLC CEO Jim Lightbody, said in a statement that they take their responsibility to manage gaming in their province very seriously and that they always welcome the opportunity to improve their practices. “We have zero tolerance for criminals who may attempt to target our business,” he added.