Report finds faults, not police or political corruption

VICTORIA — A report into money laundering in B.C. says lack of attention by the RCMP let the crime rise unchecked, allowing billions into the financial system, while provincial politicians knew suspicious cash was circulating in Vancouver-area casinos but didn’t do enough to stop it.

The report released Wednesday by former B.C. Supreme Court justice Austin Cullen says there was no evidence of political or personal corruption, but the anti-money-laundering actions taken by the former B.C. Liberal government were not enough to stop the flow.

“For too long, money laundering has been kept on the sidelines,” Cullen said. “It’s time for that to change.”

Cullen’s report names former gaming ministers Rich Coleman, Mike de Jong, and Shirley Bond, and former premier Christy

Clark, saying each took some anti-money laundering actions, but with limited results.

All four testified at the Cullen commission’s public inquiry, saying their actions were based on the best information they had on fighting money laundering.

“There is no evidence that any of these individuals knowingly encouraged, facilitated or permitted money laundering to occur in order to obtain personal benefit or advantage, be it financial, political or otherwise,” according to the report.

The report says the federal government’s anti-money laundering regime is not effective and B.C. should be focused on strengthening its own anti-money-laundering initiatives.

Cullen’s report is also highly critical of the RCMP, saying the Mounties’ “lack of attention” to money laundering allowed unchecked growth of the crime since 2012.

“Between 2015 and 2020, there were only two other major money laundering investigations that progressed to the charge-approval stage. This level of attention by the RCMP to money laundering is not commensurate with the money laundering activity and risks in this province,” the report said.

Cullen’s report says in 2014 alone, B.C. casinos accepted $1.2 billion in cash.

“These vast quantities of cash were frequently delivered to casino patrons at or near casinos, very late at night or early in the morning, by unmarked luxury vehicles. It should have been apparent to anyone … that Lower Mainland casinos were accepting vast quantities of proceeds of crime during this time period.”