A Burnaby man laundered almost $50 million over a two-year period along with other suspects in a criminal organization, police are alleging.
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Harry Seo, 30, was arrested last month after an investigation by the RCMP’s federal policing team in Edmonton.
In a news release this week, RCMP federal policing strategist Christina Zoernig said that between September 2018 and August 2020 Seo “is alleged to have laundered proceeds of crime via online transactions of illicit cannabis in Alberta and British Columbia. He is one of a total of seven individuals who have been charged after allegedly laundering approximately $47 million as part of a criminal organization.”
Zoernig called the investigation “extensive and complex” and said it had already led to charges and convictions against five others involved in the operation.
“Officers were able to determine that the money laundering network was comprised of various Alberta and British Columbia numbered companies operating as unregistered money services businesses.”
She said the companies, none of which were named, are alleged to have received, transferred or converted proceeds of crime through illicit cannabis sales via a variety of online dispensaries.
The investigation also found that the illicit money exchanges “received tens of millions in sales through e-transfer payments.”
“Through email addresses linked to these e-transfer payments, officers were able to identify eight individuals who received a total of $47 million in proceeds of crime,” she said.
Police also allege Seo was financially compensated by the criminal organization for laundering the proceeds of crime and is accused of running illicit cannabis businesses in Edmonton and Burnaby.
Seo, who was arrested Dec. 30, has no other criminal history in B.C. He was released on Jan. 3 “with no financial obligation,” court records show.
Seo was not present in Vancouver provincial court on Friday for an appearance on the charges. An articling student representing his lawyer appeared by video in Courtroom 102 to ask for an adjournment to go through “a large disclosure package.” The case has been put over until Feb. 28.
Seo filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the estate of a Winnipeg man who Seo claimed had registered a numbered company for him in B.C. in May 2018.
His statement of claim against the estate of the man, who died in November of that year, said the numbered company should be transferred into Seo’s name for a dollar as his associate had intended to do before his death.
“Prior to May 16, 2018, the petitioner mentioned to the deceased that he wished to incorporate a business in order to create an e-commerce website,” Seo’s lawsuit said. “The deceased claimed to have knowledge of how to incorporate a company, and the petitioner accepted the deceased’s offer to complete the incorporation steps on behalf of the petitioner.”
Seo said that “it was the intention agreement of both the petitioner and the deceased that the petitioner would be entitled to beneficial ownership of all allotted and issued shares of the company, and … the deceased was acting as agent for the petitioner.”
Seo said he started his business and put money into the bank accounts of the numbered company.
“The deceased died before taking steps to fulfil his agreement to provide the practitioner with ownership of the shares of the company or granting the petitioner signing authority over the bank accounts,” the lawsuit said.
No statements of defence were ever filed in the case and no details of any order or result in the case are listed.
Despite allegations he was part of a major money laundering operation, Seo does not appear to own any real estate in B.C. His address is listed as a Burnaby condo, assessed at $602,000, owned by two others with the surname Seo. His name is on a lease or a loan, with two others, for a 2021 Tesla.