Cullen Commission given 6 more months to file final money-laundering report

An inquiry commission has received a six-month extension to file its final report into money laundering in British Columbia.

A statement from the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in B.C. says the provincial government has approved a deadline extension from Dec. 15 to May 20, 2022.

It says inquiry commissioner Austin Cullen asked for more time to complete his report, because hearings and submissions that were to be completed several months ago did not finish until October.

The statement says the commission held 138 hearing days, heard from 198 witnesses and received 1,063 exhibits comprising more than 70,000 pages.

Cullen, a B.C. Supreme Court judge, was appointed in 2019 to lead the public inquiry after several reports said the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal cash linked to organized crime was affecting B.C.'s real estate, luxury vehicle and gaming sectors.

The inquiry's mandate includes making findings of fact on the extent, growth and methods of money laundering, and making recommendations.