B.C. woman sentenced to 18 months in prison for money laundering in “milestone” case

SURREY — A British Columbia woman has been sentenced to 18 months in prison in what police are calling a “major milestone” in their efforts against organized crime in Canada.

B.C.’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, which targets organized crime and gang activity, says it’s the first time in a decade that a money laundering investigation in B.C. has resulted in a sentencing.

Thirty-five-year-old Alexandra Joie Chow was arrested in November 2021 after an investigation was launched two years earlier into alleged loansharking and money laundering that involved more than $828,000.

At the time of Chow’s arrest along with another, police seized several items, including three luxury vehicles, two bank drafts totally $50,000 and more than $10,000 in cash.

Chow pleaded guilty in February to one count of laundering proceeds of crime after initially facing charges, including possessing proceeds of crime and entering into an agreement to receive interest at a criminal rate.

Police say the cash and bank drafts seized by investigators have been ordered forfeited by the court.

The enforcement unit’s Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha says the sentencing highlights the effectiveness of complex, cross-agency investigations in dealing with illegal gaming with ties to organized crime.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2025.

The Canadian Press