Prime Minister Justin Trudeau might be linked to an individual that is closely involved with the daily operation of a high-roller casino mansion near Toronto. York Regional Police recently arrested Wei Wei, a 52-year-old man who has allegedly been involved in the illegal gambling den’s management. Prime Minister Trudeau avoided the questions related to his meetings with Mr. Wei.
Earlier this month, the York Regional Police revealed that back in the summer, it conducted an extensive operation aiming to put an end to illegal gambling operation in the Toronto region. The special operation called ‘Operation Endgame’ involved more than 100 policemen aiming to put an end to the illegal gambling operation in the 20,000-square-foot mansion in Markham.
Wei Wei
A total of 32 individuals were located on the premises of the gaming mansion without a license and among them was Mr. Wei. Soon after that, the police made it clear that the real estate developer operating in the Toronto area has links in the high-level political circles of the government. As it was confirmed, he was working towards the better positioning of Chinese individuals and operations.
Protecting the interests of like-minded people was important for him and he has had at least two in-person meetings with Prime Minister Trudeau. The first one was during a CA$1,500 Liberal fundraiser back in 2016, held at the home of a Chinese-Canadian business executive. That event managed to stir the pot, as some attendees made donations to various organizations, such as the Trudeau Foundation and the University of Montreal.
Mr. Wei was also among the individuals attending this fundraising event in his role of the co-chair of the Canada China Chamber of Commerce Association. Another member of the four-person delegation donated some CA$1 million for the statue of Pierre Trudeau. The Prime Minister’s link with the Chinese Communist Party was something that caused more questions seeking answers.
Investigation Continues
Prime Minister Trudeau stated that the Liberal Party aims to make its fundraising events completely transparent with a full list of all attendees. Mr. Wei was arrested this summer and now he is facing a total of 21 charges. Some of those are illegal operation of a betting house, unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of weapons for a dangerous purpose, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of the proceeds of crime.
July 23 was when the premium mansion in Markham was raided. The police officers discovered various gaming offerings available inside, aiming to attract a larger audience of high rollers. There were slot machines and mahjong tables up for grabs. In addition to the gaming offerings available, the mansion also featured a bar with premium alcohol for the gambling enthusiasts making their way there.
There was also a banking area available and facilitating the operation of the gaming den. All assets were seized during the raid, including the mansion itself, amounting to some CA$9 million. Upcoming weeks are set to reveal more details, as the policemen are still investigating everything surrounding this illegal gambling den.
