A Burnaby, B.C., resident has been charged in connection with a $47 million interprovincial money laundering scheme tied to illicit cannabis sales in Alberta and British Columbia.
The RCMP’s Federal Financial Crime Team (FFCT) in Edmonton announced the arrest of 30-year-old Harry Seo, who is accused of laundering proceeds of crime as part of an organized criminal operation.
According to investigators, between September 2018 and August 2020, Seo and seven others allegedly laundered millions through unregistered money services businesses (uSMBs) operating in Alberta and B.C.
The businesses were used to process and conceal funds from illegal online cannabis sales, with tens of millions flowing through e-Transfer payments. The scheme involved various numbered companies, which allegedly received, transferred, and converted illicit funds.
Seo, who also operated two illegal cannabis-related businesses in the Edmonton and Burnaby areas, is accused of being financially compensated by the criminal organization for his role in concealing the origin of the funds from authorities.
He was arrested on December 30, 2024, by the Vancouver Police Department and now faces multiple charges, including laundering proceeds of crime, operating an unregistered money services business, and committing offenses for a criminal organization.
He is scheduled to appear in Vancouver Provincial Court on January 31.
The RCMP noted that five individuals have already been convicted in connection to the scheme, receiving conditional sentences and forfeiting a combined total of over $465,000 in illicit proceeds. A sixth individual is set to stand trial in November 2025.
“This criminal organization operated throughout Western Canada to collect, transfer, and benefit from approximately $47 million in proceeds of crime,” said Insp. John Lamming, Officer in Charge of Northwest Region Financial Integrity and Cybercrime.
“This was a substantial win in Canada’s fight against money laundering and criminal organizations who seek to undermine the economic integrity of our financial institutions.”
The investigation was conducted with support from FINTRAC, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Vancouver Police Department, and the RCMP’s Federal Policing Pacific Region.