A convicted criminal, once at the centre of a high profile but now defunct money laundering investigation, wants his $25,000 bank draft back from authorities, according to new court filings.
On February 4, the B.C. director of civil forfeiture filed a claim in BC Supreme Court requesting that Paul King Jin’s bank draft be forfeited as it is alleged to be proceeds of crime.
Police seized the Great Canadian Casinos Inc. bank draft on August 22, 2017, from a Mercedes Metris minivan Jin had been driving in, according to the claim.
Last month, B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Office initiated administrative proceedings against the bank draft. However, Jin filed a notice of dispute on January 7, claiming a right of possession in the bank draft.
At the time of the seizure, according to the claim, Jin had been arrested during an RCMP investigation dubbed E-Nationalize for “laundering the proceeds of crime, participation in activities of a criminal organization, commission of an offence for a criminal organization and instructing the commission of an offence for a criminal organization.”
While Jin claims the bank draft is his, at the time it was taken by police, Jin was banned from all B.C. gaming establishments by the BC Lottery Corporation, the claim notes.
Jin has a criminal record with convictions for aggravated assault, sexual assault and sexual exploitation, stated the director’s claim, adding Jin was a subject of the E-Pirate investigation.
E-Pirate ended in stayed charges in November 2018 because police may have mistakenly revealed informant information to defence lawyers, according to Global News reports. Jin had not been charged in E-Pirate; however, the claim states investigators determined Jin had set up three illegal gaming houses in Richmond.
“During E-Pirate, Mr. Jin and his associates were observed to attend at Silver International Investment Ltd. – an unlicensed money services business – and deliver airline-style luggage and/or boxes and leave with smaller boutique-style bags or empty handed,” the claim states.
Jin has yet to file a defence to the unproven claim, although he has in other similar proceedings against him.
The director added to a March 2019 claim in BC Supreme Court on June 3, 2019, asking that a $3.2 million West Vancouver home be turned over to the government as the proceeds of money laundering. The house is in addition to $4.86 million cash, a Richmond apartment on Jones Road, a 2011 Porsche and casino chips wanted by the government.
Real estate transactions through beneficial agreements, money transferred between an apparent prostitution ring and an underground bank, the attempted kidnapping of a child, tax evasion and illegal gaming activity in various Richmond homes are among the allegations in that claim.
The director then – and now – alleged that Jin and his associates were connected to more than $23.5 million in casino transactions between June 2012 and June 2015 involving “cash deliveries to high-stakes gamblers at casinos in the Lower Mainland.”
In an attempt to get the West Vancouver house back, Jin and his wife Xiaoqui Wei filed separate responses in court on July 31.
In their responses, the couple denied they were involved in any illegal activity, including denying they used their bank accounts and the bank accounts of their parents to transfer large amounts of money from China to Canada as part of a money laundering and illegal gambling scheme.
Jin and his wife reported an average combined income over a five-year period of just under $30,000 to the Canada Revenue Agency, the government’s 2019 claim alleges.
The director also claimed Jin “laundered the proceeds of unlawful activity” by purchasing or paying deposits toward a $2.4 million West Richmond home at 8100 Fairbrook Crescent, another condo at #1301 6633 Pearson Way, a 2013 Cadillac Escalade and a 2013 Bentley Continental GT. However these assets are not part of the claim filed March 15, 2019.
At the time Jin was investigated by police, he was found to be living in two condos at #1107 5199 Brighouse Way and #1204 5177 Brighouse Way, in a development known as River Green.
Police records showed much of the money coming from gamblers, some of whom got into debt with Jin. In one case, according to the investigation, “a male working for Mr. Jin attempted to kidnap the child of one of the debtors by attending at the child’s school and presenting photocopies of the child’s identification document,” which were then found inside Jin’s condo.
The province’s Civil Forfeiture Act allows for a judge to take into account unlawful activity even if no criminal charges have being laid, or if a person’s charges are stayed. Facts may be determined on a balance of probabilities.
- With files from North Shore News
