SaysVille
While we have all been focused on the sensational story of 'former' Great Canadian Gaming Co. CEO Rodney Baker and his recent trip under to the Yukon under the cover of COVID, you may not have noticed that the Cullen Inquiry on Lotuslandian money laundering is up and running again.
And for the last couple of days another former Great Canadian executive has had his turn in the box.
Below are the lede and a little bit more from Sam Cooper's report for Global:
A former B.C. Lottery Corporation executive was in charge of compliance for a Richmond casino that under-reported suspicious transactions, B.C.’s inquiry into money laundering heard Tuesday.
It was the second day of cross-examination for Robert Kroeker, who was manager of compliance for Great Canadian Gaming from 2012 to July 2015. Kroeker left the Richmond casino and joined the Lottery Corp. in September 2015.
The inquiry has already heard that Asian-organized crime used loan sharks at River Rock Casino to provide “VIP” high-rollers from China with suspected drug cash to buy casino chips. And investigators believed the VIPs would often pay the gangs back in China.
This style of “transnational” money laundering became known as the Vancouver Model...
{snip}
...Under examination from B.C. government lawyer Jacqueline Hughes, Kroeker acknowledged that from 2012 to 2015 — while he was responsible for compliance at River Rock Casino — the casino was not reporting suspicious transactions of under $50,000.
The inquiry has heard that this breached Canada’s anti-money laundering laws, and that Lottery Corp. investigator Ross Alderson believed River Rock staff may have warned VIPs to evade River Rock’s erroneous reporting threshold of $50,000.
“We have had some recent files where we have patrons buy-in for $49,960 and $49,980 in $20s and we have found out through investigation (that) River Rock are not reporting these as suspicious,” Alderson’s email said, the inquiry previously heard. “(We) feel it’s too much of a coincidence and the players must have been informed.”...
So.
What was Mr. Kroeker's explanation for all this given that it was his job to see that the rules and regulations were followed in Great Canadian's casino?
Well, first there is this:
...Kroeker said he was not aware of the under-reporting problem while he was in charge at River Rock...
And then, if that is not enough, there is this:
...(H)e (Kroeker) said he believed River Rock staff made the under-reporting errors due to “confusion.”...
Gosh.
Given all these issue with 'compliance' why wouldn't the BC Lottery Corporation have used the revolving door to hire the good Mr. Kroeker as soon as he left Great Canadian in 2015?
Which has us wondering what, exactly, Mr. Kroeker's job was at the BCLC?
And for the last couple of days another former Great Canadian executive has had his turn in the box.
Below are the lede and a little bit more from Sam Cooper's report for Global:
A former B.C. Lottery Corporation executive was in charge of compliance for a Richmond casino that under-reported suspicious transactions, B.C.’s inquiry into money laundering heard Tuesday.
It was the second day of cross-examination for Robert Kroeker, who was manager of compliance for Great Canadian Gaming from 2012 to July 2015. Kroeker left the Richmond casino and joined the Lottery Corp. in September 2015.
The inquiry has already heard that Asian-organized crime used loan sharks at River Rock Casino to provide “VIP” high-rollers from China with suspected drug cash to buy casino chips. And investigators believed the VIPs would often pay the gangs back in China.
This style of “transnational” money laundering became known as the Vancouver Model...
{snip}
...Under examination from B.C. government lawyer Jacqueline Hughes, Kroeker acknowledged that from 2012 to 2015 — while he was responsible for compliance at River Rock Casino — the casino was not reporting suspicious transactions of under $50,000.
The inquiry has heard that this breached Canada’s anti-money laundering laws, and that Lottery Corp. investigator Ross Alderson believed River Rock staff may have warned VIPs to evade River Rock’s erroneous reporting threshold of $50,000.
“We have had some recent files where we have patrons buy-in for $49,960 and $49,980 in $20s and we have found out through investigation (that) River Rock are not reporting these as suspicious,” Alderson’s email said, the inquiry previously heard. “(We) feel it’s too much of a coincidence and the players must have been informed.”...
So.
What was Mr. Kroeker's explanation for all this given that it was his job to see that the rules and regulations were followed in Great Canadian's casino?
Well, first there is this:
...Kroeker said he was not aware of the under-reporting problem while he was in charge at River Rock...
And then, if that is not enough, there is this:
...(H)e (Kroeker) said he believed River Rock staff made the under-reporting errors due to “confusion.”...
Gosh.
Given all these issue with 'compliance' why wouldn't the BC Lottery Corporation have used the revolving door to hire the good Mr. Kroeker as soon as he left Great Canadian in 2015?
Which has us wondering what, exactly, Mr. Kroeker's job was at the BCLC?
Well...
According to a press release, Mr. Kroeker was 'Vice-President for Legal, Security, Compliance & Chief Compliance Officer' when he left the Corporation in February of 2019.
Imagine that!
_______
And just in case you were wondering, according to Mr. Cooper '(i)n his final statement, Kroeker said he believes he and his staff have been unfairly attacked in media reports'...
Imagine that!
_______
And just in case you were wondering, according to Mr. Cooper '(i)n his final statement, Kroeker said he believes he and his staff have been unfairly attacked in media reports'...
.
5 comments:
'recent trip under to the Yukon under the cover of COVID'
https://www.blogger.com/#
Fixed!
Thanks NVG
.
dial up the ex- RCMP officer constable Coleman sounds like his buddy is trying to shift the blame. There is a prime example of liberal sinacysm . El Gordo taught them well .
Anon-Above--
Well, lucky for us, apparently the good Mr. Coleman is looking forward to testifying at the inquiry.
Allegedly.
.
You conveniently omitted this: "In examination by his lawyer Marie Henein, Kroeker testified that he was prepared to place a $25,000 cash limit per transaction on B.C. casinos in January 2018, after B.C. Attorney General David Eby had started an independent inquiry into B.C. casino money laundering.
However, according to Kroeker’s notes of calls with Lottery Corp. CEO Jim Lightbody, Eby asked the Lottery Corp. not to take “proactive” measures against money laundering until the review was completed."
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