Ian Mulgrew: Casino cash tied to property-backed loans

″(I am) a member of a private lending business serving a clientele with diverse needs. Sometimes, I lend my money. At times, I lend my associates’ money.”

Paul King Jin, aka “Brother Bao,” has failed to stop the release of a report prepared for the inquiry into money laundering alleging he provided millions to gamblers who pledged property to secure loans.

The 653-page document titled, “Paul Jin Debt Enforcement Against B.C. Real Estate,” details more than 20 big-time gamblers accused of owing massive debts to him as well as possible competitors — suspected loan sharks and private lenders.

Jin was granted participant status at the two-year-old inquiry last Nov. 5 out of fairness because he was barred from casinos starting in 2012 and was accused of being a major supplier of the tide of cash that swamped the gaming facilities from roughly 2010 to 2015.

He was also a target of the 2015 RCMP E-Pirate investigation that focused on a Richmond money service business believed to be supplying the currency. Jin was not charged.

Cullen inquiry: Whistleblower threw away evidence, commission hears

He was proud of what he did even though it meant breaking the law — he was “shining a light on a dark issue.”

Former head of anti-money-laundering programs and whistleblower Ross Alderson was savaged in cross-examination Friday by lawyers for gaming firms and executives he impugned.

The man, whose accusations about dirty money and leaks to the media sparked an outcry that helped launch the inquiry into money laundering, was defensive and dissembled trying to explain his own acknowledged misconduct.

In an online appearance from Australia, Alderson testified he made an anonymous complaint in 2019 against former B.C. Lottery Corp. executive Robert Kroeker — a complaint found to be unsubstantiated.

“That’s a technical term,” the former Australian cop snapped. “There was no one there to corroborate what I said, so it was unfounded.”

Ian Mulgrew: Casino whistleblower lambasted at Cullen inquiry into money-laundering

“There are multiple agencies involved here who have some skin in the game who didn’t fulfil all of their obligations … ” Alderson says

The former B.C. Lottery Corp. director of anti-money-laundering who helped paint the province’s casinos as laundromats for dirty money was hammered Thursday at the Cullen commission.

Ross Alderson insisted there was indifference to the flood of suspected illicit cash flowing through casinos from 2010 until 2015, but took refuge in a faulty memory and intransigence when pressed during testy exchanges with commission counsel Patrick McGowan.

“I really can’t recall that far back on the dates and times,” he repeated. “I’m not denying. … I can’t be certain, I can’t recall all the details that far back. I can’t recall that … you’re asking me about something that happened years ago.”

The whistleblower’s credibility was sorely battered by the inquiry lawyer, provincial government lawyer Kaitlyn Chewka, and those representing casinos.

Ian Mulgrew: Elusive dirty-cash whistleblower to testify

‘He has sent a courier delivery using a hotel beach resort return address and phone number, which gives us no ability to actually contact him.’

They sought him here, they sought him there, they sought him everywhere — now the Scarlet Pimpernel of the B.C. money-laundering inquiry has agreed to make a dramatic, 11th-hour appearance.

Instead of hearing closing submissions next week, the Cullen Commission has granted participant status to Ross Alderson, the former B.C. Lottery Corp. director of anti-money-laundering, and is arranging for him to testify.

Alderson originally applied for status at the inquiry in Sepember 2019, but withdrew the request a month later.

In March 2020, he was summonsed but he informed the inquiry he was leaving the country and moved back to Australia, where commission counsel say he continues to live. The inquiry scheduled no hearing on the day Alderson was supposed to appear.