A Richmond woman has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for money laundering in what authorities describe as the first successful prosecution of its kind in British Columbia in ten years.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Alexandra Joie Chow, 37, received her sentence on Monday morning at Richmond Provincial Court following a guilty plea entered in February to one count of laundering the proceeds of crime. Judge Richard Browning presided over the case and additionally ordered the forfeiture of cash and bank drafts that police had seized during their investigation.
The conviction stems from a lengthy probe by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), British Columbia's dedicated anti-gang unit. Court records show Chow initially faced six criminal counts but ultimately pleaded guilty to a single charge. She had no prior criminal record before this case.
Investigation Details and Evidence
The CFSEU's gambling investigation team launched their operation in August 2019, focusing on suspected loan-sharking and money laundering activities. The investigation culminated in November 2021 when officers executed multiple search warrants in Richmond and Burnaby.
During these raids, police uncovered substantial evidence including score sheets containing client names and payment due dates, four cellular phones, two bank drafts totaling $50,000, and $10,680 in Canadian currency. Authorities also seized three high-end vehicles connected to the suspects.
According to court documents, an undercover officer provided Chow with $776,100 in bulk cash during the investigation, receiving bank drafts totaling $740,000 in return. The transactions allegedly involved Chow converting large amounts of cash derived from unlawful activities into bank drafts for her clients.
Civil Forfeiture and Additional Consequences
Even before criminal charges were filed in 2023, the B.C. director of civil forfeiture had taken action against Chow. A lawsuit filed in 2022 sought permanent custody of a Porsche Cayman that had been seized during police raids.
The civil case alleged that Chow operated an unlicensed money services business and charged interest rates equivalent to approximately 120 percent annually. The lawsuit further claimed she used her vehicle to transport currency to various locations and financial institutions.
The 2008 Porsche was ultimately forfeited to the B.C. government after Chow failed to file a statement of defence in the civil forfeiture proceeding. The vehicle was alleged to have been purchased with illicit proceeds from her illegal operations.
CFSEU Sgt. Sarbjit Sangha emphasized the significance of this case in a news release, stating that this sentencing represents the first money laundering conviction in British Columbia in a decade. She noted that the outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of CFSEU's coordinated, multi-jurisdictional approach to combating illegal gaming activities connected to organized crime.
