In a shocking turn of events, a man from Richmond, British Columbia, Richard Charles Reed, has been found guilty of the murder of alleged casino money launderer Jian Jun Zhu. The tragic incident took place in 2020 at the Japanese restaurant Manzo in Richmond, where Reed opened fire on Zhu with a 45-caliber Norinco semi-automatic pistol. Despite Zhu’s associate, Paul “King” Jin, being present and wounded in the shooting, Reed was acquitted of his attempted murder.
The trial was presided over by Supreme Court Justice Jeanne Watchuk, who delivered the verdict convicting Reed of Zhu’s murder. During the trial, Reed had attempted to present a testimony from a friend who claimed he had admitted to intending to target Jin and mistakenly killing Zhu. However, this evidence was deemed inadmissible. The trial itself was a judge-only proceeding, with no jury involved, a legal practice in Canada when authorities suspect a risk of jury intimidation or tampering. As of now, a sentencing date for Reed has yet to be announced.
Following the investigation, the police discovered the murder weapon in Reed’s apartment, along with a loaded magazine bearing Reed’s fingerprints. Additionally, Reed had been in communication with three other individuals who were believed to have been involved in the attack on Zhu. One of these men, Jack Qin, who had organized the meal at the restaurant, was also shot in April 2021 but survived and testified at the trial, denying any involvement in ordering the hit.
Another individual, Jin Cai, who had been present at the restaurant but left just before the shooting took place, was later found murdered at his Vancouver home in 2021. The third man, Gordon Ma, was seen on surveillance footage interacting with Reed before the murder and had spoken to Cai over the phone both before and after the shooting, but his current whereabouts remain unknown. Defense lawyers speculated that Ma could have been responsible for the murder, as the surveillance cameras at the scene did not capture the actual shooting.
Jian Jun Zhu, the victim of the tragic incident, was a controversial figure with a history linked to money laundering. He was accused of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars from criminal activities through Vancouver casinos using his Silver International currency exchange business. Despite facing charges in one of Canada’s largest money laundering cases, Zhu walked free after prosecutors inadvertently disclosed the name of a crucial government witness, leading to the case being stayed for the safety of the witness.
In 2019, Zhu’s name resurfaced during Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen’s commission into money laundering, but he ultimately evaded any charges. His untimely demise at the hands of Richard Charles Reed shed light on the dark world of money laundering and criminal activities that continue to plague the Canadian society. The aftermath of Zhu’s murder has left a trail of unanswered questions and unresolved mysteries surrounding the individuals involved in the tragic incident. Only time will tell the full extent of the repercussions stemming from this heinous crime.