Vancouver cop Kal Dosanjh charged with $3M fraud targeting 19 victims

A 26-year VPD veteran and youth charity CEO faces fraud, theft and breach of trust charges. Police believe more victims may still come forward.

VPD holds press conference after senior officer's arrest on $3M fraud allegations

Google News CA — Crime (EN) reports that Vancouver police have confirmed a high-profile officer allegedly defrauded at least 19 victims of approximately $3 million in a scheme stretching back to 2017.

Kal Dosanjh, a 26-year veteran of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and CEO of the KidsPlay Youth Foundation, was arrested Thursday in Surrey in what police described as a "controlled" traffic stop. He faces four counts of fraud over $5,000, four counts of theft over $5,000, and one count of breach of trust. Dosanjh has been released on conditions and relieved of his service weapon.

At a Friday news conference, VPD Chief Steve Rai said Dosanjh had been suspended and that he had recommended to the Vancouver Police Board that the suspension be served without pay. Rai added that investigators believe additional victims may not yet have contacted police.

"These allegations are deeply troubling not only because of their seriousness, but because they have the potential to undermine the trust that our members work very hard, very hard to build and maintain with the public," Rai said. "This officer had a profile in the community and internally, and officers are angry and disappointed."

Investors and charity among alleged victims

According to court documents, multiple charges relate to alleged fraud and theft from investors in the Azura, Queen's Park and Sahara development projects. Sarabjit Singh Gill, described by police as Dosanjh's business partner, is listed as a co-defendant in those charges.

Supt. Mike Ritchie, who led the 2½-year investigation, said the alleged misconduct unfolded gradually over several years before victims began to question what they had been told. "It began over a series of years until such a point that victims then started to question the veracity of those things," Ritchie said. "We were not made aware internally until 2023."

Police launched a large-scale, covert investigation in December 2023 after multiple alleged victims came forward. After consulting with the RCMP, it was determined that the VPD would head the investigation, Rai said, citing the department's expertise and resources.

Dosanjh also faces two separate charges alleging fraud and theft from the KidsPlay Youth Foundation, a charity he founded in 2015 with the stated aim of keeping British Columbia children away from a life of crime. Ritchie confirmed that police had searched KidsPlay's offices.

Ritchie said the province's Civil Forfeiture Office has been engaged in a separate but parallel process "for quite some time," and that police were not ruling out additional criminal charges.

Political fallout in Surrey

Dosanjh's arrest has already had consequences in Surrey's upcoming municipal election. His wife, Sandy Dosanjh, had been running for city council. On Friday, the Conservative Party of Surrey announced she was no longer one of its candidates.

Sandy Dosanjh is not named or accused in any of the charges or allegations against her husband. He had, however, spoken at campaign events and supported her campaign on social media.

Richmond City Councillor Kash Heed, a former West Vancouver police chief and B.C. solicitor general, said the withdrawal was unsurprising given the election was just weeks away. "When you have something of this nature, your significant other under such a cloud, it's going to be difficult to maintain the credibility and confidence of the public that are going to elect you to serve in office," he said.

Defence: 'committed no crime'

In a statement issued Thursday, Dosanjh's law firm Alliance Lawyers said it was "inappropriate to draw conclusions" based on the reported arrest. "Mr. Dosanjh has committed no crime and is innocent of any wrongdoing," the statement reads. "An arrest, or a report that an arrest has occurred, is not evidence of guilt, misconduct, or criminal responsibility."

None of the charges have been tested in court.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim of the alleged fraud is asked to contact police at 604-717-2601.

Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)