[BC省新聞] Money laundering charges stayed after high-profile B.C. RCMP investigation

Quest

'The charges were stayed for several reasons that materialized during the course of the file,' says RCMP

Yvette Brend · CBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2018 12:25 PM PT | Last Updated: an hour ago



Project E-Pirate was a high-profile money-laundering probe that targeted high-stakes gamblers in British Columbia. (CBC)

All of the criminal charges laid in a high-profile RCMP investigation into money-laundering in B.C. have been stayed, but it remains unclear why.

The investigation — called E-Pirate by the RCMP— was launched in 2015 into a suspected underground banking operation that allegedly processed suspected drug money, and allegedly funded gamblers in high-stakes games in B.C. casinos.

• Crime group allegedly laundered millions through B.C. casinos

The five counts in the original indictment included laundering the proceeds of crime, possession of property obtained by crime, failing to register a money services business and failures to keep proper records and report suspect financial transactions.

The charges were laid against Silver International Investments Ltd., Caixuan Qin and Jain Jun Zhu in the fall of 2017

Charges stayed by prosecutors

The case was set to go to trial in provincial court in Richmond in January 2019.

Then in a press release on Wednesday morning the RCMP confirmed that the Public Prosecution Service of Canada stayed all charges last week.

"The charges were stayed for several reasons that materialized during the course of the file; the nature of which will not be discussed in any detail given operational sensitivities," wrote RCMP Sgt. Marie Damian.

The RCMP did reveal the force is is reviewing the file to understand "its activities which contributed to this stay," to incorporate relevant lessons and prevent this from happening in the future.

• B.C. casinos 'unwittingly served as laundromats' for proceeds of crime: report

In a written statement, Public Prosecution Service of Canada spokeswoman Nathalie Houle said the charges did not meet its prosecution test, which stipulate there be a reasonable prospect of conviction on evidence likely to be available at trial and it would best serve the public interest.

Matthew Nathanson, a lawyer for Silver International and one of the people charged declined any comment.

The lawyer for the second person originally charged could not be reached yet for comment.

Large amounts of money were seized as part of in-depth investigations into money laundering at B.C. casinos. (CBC)