Sources say RCMP opened file on Liberal MP whose firm facilitated real estate deals in B.C.

By Sam Cooper

Global News has learned the RCMP opened a file on B.C. Liberal MP Joe Peschisolido after confidential police informants alleged the veteran politician had been knowingly associating with Chinese organized crime figures through his former real estate law practice in Richmond, B.C.

Global News learned of these allegations while investigating whether Peschisolido’s law firm was involved in secretive B.C. real estate development deals that involved an alleged Chinese “drug boss” in one case, and also a construction tycoon from China alleged to have been involved in a “transnational money laundering” probe in B.C. Lottery Corp. casinos.

These transactions at Peschisolido’s law firm involved so-called “bare trusts” — a controversial service that is legal, but has harmed B.C.’s housing market because the trusts can allow money launderers to anonymously invest in real estate assets, according to critics including B.C.’s Attorney General David Eby.

READ MORE: Liberal MP involved in second bare trust deal with client named in ‘transnational money laundering’ probe

Peschisolido has acknowledged that lawyers at his former law firm — which was taken over to be wound down by the B.C. Law Society this year — did complete bare trust deals. However Peschisolido has insisted these lawyers were independent contractors and that he never oversaw or personally completed any bare trust real estate deals.

Peschisolido also said in an interview with Global News that he does not know the alleged Chinese “drug boss” or the Chinese construction tycoon that were involved in bare trust transactions as clients of his former law firm, according to legal filings.

Last week Peschisolido met with Global News at his constituency office in Richmond for an extensive interview regarding the alleged RCMP file, and also to answer questions about a number of photographs that document Peschisolido’s repeated encounters in 2018 with primary suspects in Canada’s largest ever money-laundering investigation, the RCMP’s so-called E-Pirate probe.

The RCMP would not confirm or deny information regarding the force’s file on Peschisolido, that Global News learned from sources with knowledge of the E-Pirate probe.

A source said that during the E-Pirate probe, which was started in 2015, the RCMP “was hearing” Peschisolido was “affiliated” with — and involved in “structuring” investment deals for — some of his law firm’s clients that “he knew” were associated to Asian organized crime.

full story at https://globalnews.ca/news/5476467/embattled-liberal-mp-subject-of-rcmp-file-according-to-police-sources/

Categorised in: Canadian News