The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) recently charged four men with coordinated ATM fraud across several Alberta casinos, resulting in a net loss of more than $1 million.
According to a news release, the RCMP said it investigated suspicious casino-based ATM activity across the Edmonton area and discovered a string of high-value withdrawals, which led to ATM service disruption across the entire area.
As a result, the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region (NWR), with the help of the Edmonton Police Service and Mounties, executed six search warrants from which they uncovered evidence of money laundering, cocaine possession, and fraud. Information from the investigators suggest that the four suspects withdrew large amounts in an attempt to evade detection and exploit financial institutions.
Five Charged in Massive Crime and Drug Bust
The RCMP made five arrests after collaborative efforts with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada.
Dennis Jones (42), Van Bau Ta (39), and Hisham Ismaeel (28) are each facing charges of fraud over $5,000 as well as possession of property obtained by crime.
Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad (37), on the other hand, has been charged with laundering proceeds of crime. Investigators say Ahmad was trying to hide illegal funds connected to the larger cross-border crime scheme.
The investigation also turned up a big drug bust. While executing the search warrants, officers found a large quantity of cocaine. Elliot Miao (42), a fifth suspect, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purposes of drug trafficking.
More interesting is that Edmonton court records reveal Miao has a lengthy criminal history, dating back over a decade. According to the files, he received a four-year sentence in 2007 for trafficking a controlled substance.
Miao received another four-year term after being convicted for possessing a loaded, prohibited, or restricted firearm and breaching court conditions in 2019. He also pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking and was sentenced to 30 months in custody back in 2016
Bau Ta February 2023 was charged with fraud exceeding $5,000, possession of stolen property, and laundering the proceeds of crime. Jones and Ismaeel were also charged with fraud of more than $5,000 and an allegation of possessing stolen property back in February of 2023.
In light of the arrests, The RCMP says the results show the importance of working together.
“This investigation demonstrates how effective collaboration between public and private agencies can play a vital role in investigating the evolving financial crime landscape.”
Implication of Arrests on Alberta iGaming Market
After Bill 48 passed the third reading in May, it’s safe to say Alberta is now on an irreversible path to becoming Canada’s next regulated iGaming market after Ontario. But the recent arrests for fraud, money laundering and drug trafficking have added a dose of reality to the conversation.
For policymakers, this is a live case study of the risks the new regime must mitigate. Regulators are under pressure to ensure when Alberta’s iGaming market opens in 2026, it’s built on a foundation of transparency, robust anti-money laundering measures, and strong collaboration between public agencies and private operators.
Industry insiders say the timing might actually work in Alberta’s favour. With Alberta’s iGaming ribbon-cutting expected in early 2026, there’s enough time for the province to research real world vulnerabilities as exposed by these arrests and design player safeguards that go beyond what Ontario did in its April 2022 launch. This could include stricter due diligence for operators, tighter payment system monitoring, and cross-border intelligence sharing to monitor and track suspicious activity.
For the public, these arrests highlight the importance of establishing trust in a sector often plagued with dirty money. Alberta’s challenge will be to convince citizens that regulated iGaming will not only provide entertainment and generate tax revenue, but also foster player integrity.
If done right, Alberta can turn this into a blueprint for how provinces can outsmart financial crime and create a safe competitive digital gambling market.
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