Suspect in Vancouver Casino Money Laundering Murder Case Anticipates Trial Outcome
Lawyers in Canada are pleading with a judge to find a man guilty of murdering a casino money launderer who was gunned down in 2020.
Jian Jun Zhu met with his associate Paul "King" Jin at a Japanese restaurant in Richmond, part of Greater Vancouver, when he was fatally shot.
The trial of Richard Reed, who stands accused of taking Zhu's life and attempted murder of Jin, wrapped up last week. Reed faces first-degree murder charges over Zhu’s death and the attempted murder of Jin, who survived the attack.
Gigantic Money Laundering Scheme
In 2017, Zhu was embroiled in what was considered the largest money laundering case in Canada's history. Zhu was accused of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars in Vancouver-area casinos through his currency exchange company, Silver International.
Prosecutors claimed that Silver was more than just a currency exchange, but an underground bank with connections to drug cartels and terrorist financing.
However, the case deteriorated when prosecutors accidentally exposed a government witness's identity during routine evidence submission. The trial ultimately came to a standstill, and the judge halted proceedings, citing concern for the witness's safety.
As a result, Reed's trial is taking place without jurors. Courtrooms in Canada can theorically exclude juries when there is a strong possibility of jury intimidation or tampering, as long as a certain law from 2003 permits it.
The Wrong Man Killed?
Reed testified that he was the person wearing a black and white Calvin Klein hoodie in security camera footage taken outside the restaurant prior to the shooting.
"Reed spent around 20 minutes assessing the Manzo situation. He patiently waited for nightfall to carry out his plans," said Regional Prosecutor Mark Wolf during the closing remarks, described by The Vancouver Sun.
Both Zhu and Jin were shot during the attack, but Zhu died shortly afterward in a hospital, while Jin made a full recovery.
Wolf stated, "The Crown's submission is that by carrying out this shooting, Mr. Reed intended to kill the person who was shot."
Judge Watchuk banned a supposed confession by Reed, where he claimed to have targeted Jin but killed the wrong person. Jin, who was allegedly involved in illegal gambling, used Silver International to clean his money, authorities maintain.
Involvement of Others
The gun used in the incident was discovered in Reed's bedroom by police as they searched his apartment. A fully loaded magazine with Reed's fingerprints was also found there.
Reed was in frequent contact with three individuals who were in the restaurant or in its vicinity at the moment of the shooting—one of whom, Jin Cai, left early.
Another associate, Gordon Ma, who was seen with Reed on surveillance footage before the shooting, had consistent phone contact with Jin Cai—both before and after the crime took place.
The prosecution has yet to identify the person who hired Reed to supposedly carry out the killing or the motivations behind it.
The Missing Suspect
The defense claimed that Ma, whose current whereabouts are unknown, could have taken responsibility for the shooting. Police never captured the shooter on the restaurant's security camera and, therefore, couldn't definitively prove that Reed pulled the trigger, according to Ma's lawyer, Kevin Westell.
"Having the firearm two months after the shooting is not enough evidence to determine who actually pulled the trigger," Westell said.
The verdict of Justice Watchuk is being reserved. It's expected she'll provide a written decision in due time.
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Source: www.casino.org
