Cullen Report Sets Out Recommendations To Address Money Laundering In British Columbia

On June 15, 2022, the British Columbia government officially released its final report authored by Austin Cullen (the "Cullen Report"), examining the full scope of money laundering in B.C. In his dual capacity as both Commissioner of the public inquiry into money laundering in B.C. (the "Cullen Commission") and B.C. Supreme Court Justice, Mr. Cullen drafted the Cullen Report based on his evidentiary observations stemming from nearly 200 witnesses and approximately 1,000 exhibits over the course of 133 days of public hearings.

Background

In response to the growing public concern about money laundering in B.C. between 2008 and 2019, the B.C. government issued four reports[1] on the adverse impact of money laundering within different sectors in the province, such as casinos and real estate. On May 15, 2019, B.C. Premier John Horgan announced the establishment of the Cullen Commission and appointed Mr. Cullen as its Commissioner. At the forefront of the Cullen