Former B.C. minister allowed to cross-examine old friend at money-laundering inquiry - Action News
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British Columbia

Former B.C. minister allowed to cross-examine old friend at money-laundering inquiry

Former B.C. cabinet ministerKashHeedhas been granted limited participant status at the public inquiry into money laundering so he can cross-examine a former RCMP officer.

Kash Heed will question former head of RCMP's disbanded gaming taskforce

Kash Heed, then B.C.'s minister of public safety, speaks during a news conference in Vancouver on July 23, 2009. The former head of the RCMP's disbanded illegal gaming taskforce says Heed told him that year that former gaming minister Rich Coleman knew B.C. had a money-laundering problem but was more concerned about revenue.

Former B.C. cabinet ministerKashHeedhas been granted limited participant status at the public inquiry into money laundering so he can cross-examine a former RCMP officer.

Commissioner Austin Cullen saysHeedhas 90 minutes to question Fred Pinnock, who testified at the inquiry earlier thatHeedtold him B.C.'s gaming minister knew about organized crime at casinos.

Heedsought limited status to cross examine Pinnock, who said the former solicitor general told him in 2009 that the gaming minister at the time, Rich Coleman,was more interested in the generation of casino revenues than possible money laundering.

"[Heed]said to me, in effect, "That is what's going on, Fred, but I can't say that publicly. You know it's all about the money,'" Pinnock said during a hearing on Nov. 5.

Pinnock testified he was the head of the RCMP's now disbanded Integrated Illegal Gaming Enforcement Team when he first spoke withHeed, a former police chief in West Vancouver. Pinnockalso said he and Heed were once longtime friends.

Rich Coleman, formerly B.C.'s minister responsible for gaming, pictured in 2014. The Cullen Commission has heard that Coleman's former colleague, Kash Heed, told an ex-RCMP officer that Coleman knew about money laundering in B.C. back in 2009. (CBC)

Pinnock also testified he recordedHeedyears later as the former minister repeated his 2009 comments about Coleman's approach to gaming concerns.

The B.C. government launched the public inquiry after three reports outlined hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal cash affected the real estate, luxury vehicle and gaming sectors in the province.

With files from CBC News