Province files another lawsuit against assets of alleged money-launderer Paul Jin
Credit to Author: Kim Bolan| Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2020 04:00:57 +0000
The B.C. government has filed another lawsuit against alleged money launderer Paul King Jin, asking that a $25,000 bank draft found in his Mercedes and made out to a casino be forfeited as a proceed of crime.
The director of civil forfeiture filed the latest claim against assets of Jin on Feb. 4. Jin has not yet filed a response.
In the claim, the director says the bank draft was dated May 20, 2017, and made out to Great Canadian Casinos.
Jin’s vehicle was seized by the anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit later that May and the draft was found after a search warrant was obtained three months later.
The director notes that the B.C. Lottery Corporation banned Jin from casinos for five years, beginning in 2012, in suspicion of loan-sharking.
“Mr. Jin has been identified by BCLC as being involved in cash deliveries to high-stakes gamblers at casinos in the Lower Mainland,” the lawsuit alleges. “Between June 27, 2012 and June 24, 2015, there were 140 casino transactions totalling $23, 501,456 and related to casino activity involving Mr. Jin and his associates.”
Jin was a target of B.C. largest money laundering investigation, called E-Pirate, which began in 2015. But he was not charged. And charges against the operators of an illegal bank called Silver International were later stayed, though both of them, Caixuan Qin and Jian Jun Zhu, are named in separate civil forfeiture lawsuits.
Jin was also the subject of a CFSEU probe into illegal gambling houses, dubbed E-Nationalize. Police have recommended charges in that case, but the B.C. Prosecution Service is still reviewing the file.
“Between April and Oct 2015, Mr. Jin was observed travelling between Silver International and various other locations with suitcases, boxes and bags containing large amounts of cash,” the lawsuit alleges.
Two illegal gambling dens uncovered during the case were linked to Jin, according to the latest lawsuit as well as another one filed by the director last year.
“Mr. Jin used the proceeds of the unlawful activity to provide money to participants in lawful and unlawful gambling activities,” the director’s claim says. “Mr. Jin compelled these gamblers to execute promissory notes in favour of Mr. Jin and/or his wife as security for the money advanced for gambling.”
“Mr. Jin further fraudulently prepared promissory notes claiming monies advanced to debtors for gambling was advanced for home renovations and claiming a constructive trust in various real properties owned by debtors.”
Some of those debtors complained to police that Jin and his associates “were threatening physical violence or had perpetuated physical violence in order to collect.”
The director said the bank draft was clearly purchased with illicit cash and that Jin’s crimes include possession of the proceeds of crime, conspiracy, money laundering, keeping a common gaming house, extortion and failure to declare taxable income.
Jin and his family members have been named in several other lawsuits filed earlier by the B.C. Civil Forfeiture Office seeking to seize millions of dollars worth of assets all identified during the two police investigations. None of the cases has gone to trial. The director alleges that Jin is the real owner of some of the properties that were registered in the names of others.