According to Canadian reports, Robert Kroeker, British Columbia Lottery Corp.’s vice-president of corporate compliance, has reportedly resigned amid complaints he advised his staff to “ease up” on money laundering complaints in the province.
Kroeker’s resignation was announced by the lottery group, but no reason was given for his departure.
The report in Global News said that gaming regulators in the province had received a complaint that Kroeker instructed his staff to “ease up” on anti-money-laundering measures and “allow dirty money to flow into casinos.”
Documents obtained by Global News through freedom-of-information requests and from casino industry sources show that B.C.’s gaming policy enforcement branch received a complaint against Kroeker in early 2019.
“We will be investigating,” Sam MacLeod, assistant deputy minister responsible for B.C. gambling, confirmed in a February 2019 email that was disclosed in a Global News freedom-of-information request.
Kroeker was one of the B.C. government’s top anti-money-laundering officials and held several important posts with significant oversight in the province’s economy.
He did not comment on the story nor did lottery officials.
The departure comes ahead of a public inquiry into money laundering, which is expected to start this fall.
The complaint also said that Lottery Corp.’s former director of anti-money-laundering investigations, Ross Alderson and two of Alderson’s staff were among those who Kroeker allegedly instructed to “ease up” on “cash conditions and suspicious buy-ins.”
Alderson declined comment, but said he plans to testify in B.C.’s inquiry on money laundering if he is asked.
“I’m aware of the complaint and have agreed to co-operate if required,” Alderson told the paper.
