Australian money-laundering suspect to be deported after arrest at casino
A suspected international money launderer who was arrested late last month at the River Rock Casino will be deported to his home country of Australia, an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing in Vancouver determined Tuesday.
The hearing found that Dan Bai Shun Jin, 55, was not admissible to be in Canada because he had outstanding warrants for passing about $1.4 million in bad cheques at several casinos in Las Vegas dating back to 2014. He did not declare those charges in entering Canada earlier in May.
Canadian authorities were also concerned about multiple investigations in several countries, including Australia and the U.S. According to Australian court documents, Jin is likely to be involved in large-scale illegal casino-based money laundering in Australia, the U.S., Macau and Singapore.
Part of the Australian investigation revolves around Jin gambling about $850 million at a casino in Melbourne between 2005 and 2013.
Immigration and Refugee Board member Michael McPhalen, who adjudicated the hearing, ruled that Jin would remain in detention until he is deported, likely in seven to 10 days, because he is a flight risk.
“I am satisfied you are a fraudster so I can’t rely on any assurances you would give me that you are just willing to go back to Australia now,” McPhalen said in outlining his decision.
An offer by a distant relative in Vancouver — who Jin acknowledged he did not know well — to put up a $10,000 bond and house Jin was not enough surety, said McPhalen.
Jin’s lawyer, Peter Edelmann, had argued there was little evidence of money laundering or conviction and said there was a stronger case that Jin was simply a high-stakes gambler.
Edelmann argued Jin was not a flight risk.
Government lawyer Mason Cooke told the hearing that Canadian authorities believe Jin is involved in proceeds of crime and money laundering in Australia, possibly in the United States, and have a concern he might be involved in the same in Canada.
Jin’s presence in Canada was discovered after a woman was stopped at Vancouver International Airport carrying $20,000 that she said she was delivering to Jin, according to information provided at the hearing.
The RCMP arrested Jin on May 25 while he was playing baccarat at the River Rock Casino, owned by Great Canadian Gaming Corp., on a warrant from the Canada Border Services Agency.
In documents filed as part of the hearings, Jin claimed he was gambling with $6,000 he brought into Canada that he turned into $69,000 in winnings playing baccarat.
He had $75,000 in chips on him when arrested.
The $6,000 in cash would not have triggered B.C.’s new rules that require gamblers to file a source-offunds declaration for cash and cash equivalents greater than $10,000.
The tighter restrictions were triggered by a B.C. government review over concerns outlined in a confidential report commissioned by the B.C. Lottery Corp. from auditor MNP LLP that found $13.5 million in $20 bills had been accepted in the River Rock Casino in July 2015. In response to questions from Postmedia, Great Canadian Gaming officials said the company does not comment on law-enforcement activity.
According to documents filed at the hearings, when questioned as to why he was in Canada, Jin said it was solely to gamble and for a holiday because he had never been to Canada before.
He had planned to stay about one month, and said he did not plan to visit his wife and daughter in San Francisco, where they are living.
He had not been to the U.S. for five years, which McPhalen surmised was because Jin was concerned he could be arrested and detained in the U.S.
In response to questions from Postmedia, the Australian Federal Police said a July 21 court date for Jin pertains to a civil-based proceeds-of-crime action against property located in Australia and the United States.
As the matter is before the courts, AFP officials said they could not comment further.