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Richmond MP hits out again at organized crime links

However, Joe Peschisolido has no plans to sue TV station over allegations he associated with Chinese criminals
Peschisolido.JPG
Liberal Joe Peschisolido

Under-fire Richmond-Steveston MP Joe Peschisolido is once again defending himself against claims he knowingly associated with Chinese organized crime members.

Global BC aired another story earlier this week, alleging a source inside the RCMP said a file has been opened up on Peschisolido after confidential police informants alleged the MP was spending time with the suspected criminals through his former Richmond real estate law practice.

Global News has earlier reported how Peschisolido’s law firm may have been involved in secretive B.C. real estate development deals that involved an alleged Chinese “drug boss” and a construction tycoon from China, alleged to have been involved in money-laundering.

However, in a statement released Thursday night, the Richmond MP slammed the allegations by Global as “unfair and untrue.”

And on Friday, he told the Richmond News that no one from the RCMP has contacted with regard to any “file” that they may have on him.

“There has been no contact with anybody on that regard,” said Peschisolido.

Despite giving a stern defence and denial of the Global BC allegations, the MP said he has no plans to take legal action against the TV station.

Asked why, he said, “I don’t need to do that. What’s important is the trust (people) have in me…and that good people of Steveston will be the judge of that (come this fall’s election.”

As for feeling any pressure from his party as a result of the allegations, the Liberal MP said he hasn’t had one conversation on the subject with anyone from his caucus.

“None at all,” said Peschisolido. “I’m just continuing to do what I’m doing…and I’m going to be opening my campaign office soon.”

The Global BC report shined the light on the number of occasions the Richmond MP was photographed with the aforementioned Chinese organized crime figures.

In response, Peschisolido said, in his statement that when he’s in Richmond, he meets with constituents his office and attends numerous events to “which I am invited to give speeches and have my photo taken with organizers and their guests.

“In all my duties, I have always conducted myself with utmost integrity and professionalism.

“I, along with other elected officials, have attended community cultural and sporting events where individuals named in the Global News stories also happened to be.

“They took photos with me as did so many other individuals at that event. I do not personally know these individuals, I do not know of their businesses nor do I know of their backgrounds. I cannot possibly know of every single person that I meet at events.”

Peschisolido continued that, prior to being elected, he “worked as a lawyer at a law firm with other independent contractor lawyers.

“Lawyers oversaw and managed their own files independently. I focused on basic wills and simple real estate transactions. I have never been involved in structuring business deals nor have I ever been involved in any bare trust agreements.

“I value the trust that constituents have placed in me, and I don’t take that trust for granted.”